The Fandom That Waited

I love the smell of three-month angst in the morning.

It's that time again, lovelies.
Hiatus time.
Don't those two words just send a little shiver down your spine? They herald some of the worst and most entertaining weeks in any fangirl's life.
See, I think there must be some sort of psychology to the reaction most fandoms have to their respective hiatuses. I mean have you seen some of these things? People go absolutely crazy. And, to be honest, given how crazy I go just waiting for the library to deliver a book, it's understandable. (Shhh. The three-year hiatus victims are my favorites.) It's second only in nutsiness to the premiere of the next season. Also, I've noted common appearances of the phrase "IT'S BEEN THREE DAYS" or variances thereof in the fandoms with less...stamina. You know who you are.
There are two sides to this coin, though. Call me crazy, but I think hiatus is a really beautiful thing sometimes.
Take a look at this, for example. This is one thing I love about all the months we, as fans, spend waiting. Look at all those metas to be born! It's one of the best things about fiction, in my opinion. The speculation. The questions. The mad and sad and sick and wonderful theories. The ones you wish until your heart burns were true. The ones you cast an eye over and jump to "oh-gracious-please-don't-ever" mode. I love it. All the unanswered queries are maddening, yes, but they can yield some pretty fascinating results.
And it's not like you're alone in it, either. Whether you're driving under the influence of the hiatus from an amazing TV show, waiting for the second season of an anime, or awaiting the publication of a new book, there will always be someone who shares your misery. Waiting periods are a time for fandoms to band together in shared suffering. Or completely implode. But that's a rant for another time. Kinda cool, yeah?
Maybe hiatuses are a good lesson. Not all madness is truly bad. After all, we're all mad here.
May your swords stay sharp and your chocolate stocks always plentiful.