Playing without a plan

I am sure we have all been in positions where we are playing with out a plan. More often then I like I find myself in positions where I have no tactical possibilities and my opponent has a positional advantage that I can clearly notice. These positions are almost always in the middle of the game (wouldn't be so bad if its at the end i guess). And unless I had blundered, the material is even so its not like im down a piece.

So the question is what do you do? I can't stand playing these games and usualy just bite my lip and suck it up and play it out. Resigning corsses my mind but being a good sport and all I wait till im obviously losing.

deadpoetic> I have no tactical possibilities and my opponent has a positional advantage that I can clearly notice. 

Well, did you have any advantages? If yes, maximize them while minimizing your opponent's advantages. If no, go out and create some. In a recent game I played, everything was equal except my opponent was about to win the bishop pair on a semi-open board. It's rather dreary playing when everything favors your opponent, so I sac'd a pawn to win his bishop pair. Now he had a material advantage, and I had better minor pieces--the makings of an interesting middlegame. Mix things up. :)

Also, unless your opponent is rated 400+ points higher than you, you almost always get at least one good tactical opportunity. Keep your eyes open!

Resolve to lose even harder and sacrifice material to get maybe some initiative going?  That way at least you stay awake.

But there are positions where the board is just so dead for you that even this won't result in anything.  I'd ask the enemy if they too see it as just a matter of time before they win--boring, boring time.  Lots of people will be glad to reboot  in hope of a more interesting game.  Unless they're "serious" competitors (ewwwww!)

I find myself in this position all the time. That is until I make a move and realize that because I am still learning i simply didn't see far enough ahead to realize I could still win material.

But im sure everyone has been in positions that are completly dead on your side. I usualy try to salvage something out of the dead position but sometimes your opponent has space advantage thats just way to obvious and your stuck on your side of the board (most of the time when im in these potions im playing with black).