I've gone on at length about how waiting in line is a tonic for the soul. For tech and films especially, it's a rare coordinate where you stand a reasonable chance of being able to have a conversation with any person next to you, any "random" person, but they aren't actually random because simply by being in line we have some notion of how their variables might be set. Organisms who (under other circumstances) would be little more than shambling physical obstacles become something akin to people.

Interesting take from Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade on waiting in lines on launch dates. I hadn't quite looked at it this way, and usually am the guy making fun of the people waiting in line.