[aeryn]

Old post, but this was the first Google result when I searched the same problem.

Two solutions, both worked for me in quick testing (1.10.6 on 10.9):
1) after entering the search term, click "out" of the search box; e.g. the blank space under the last task in the main window

2) save a blank perspective with the name you want (#waiting), activate that perspective and tweak all the view settings to get what you want, and "Save Window As > #waiting" to update the perspective

Not sure if/when this changed but I have saved-search perspectives already in my system and I know I didn't have this much trouble setting them up initially.