I can sympathize with the frustration lately. Honestly, the increasing toxicity of the forum since July, capped off with the latest announcements and attitudes of those left behind who are actively trolling – or generally just neg posting – is a frustration in daily life I can do without.
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Yeah, that’s exactly why I didn’t say anything when I noticed some posts had been deleted. A month or two ago I walked away from the forums for a few days after one poster really ticked me off. Sometimes space is needed.
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I have found myself being s little more tolerant of grumpiness lately. @jrnelson is one of the most passionate and erudite members of this forum. I’ve learned a lot from him. He contribute so much. He has a style of address a bit different from mine but I really appreciate it.
I was part of a special working group with my work community to address some very challenging but acute issues. We really did our best to walk a very narrow line through some huge land mines in coming up with some helpful policies for our schools. I have a stack of letters praying for my eternal salvation because of it.
Glowforge grumpiness doesn’t quite have that gravitas to it.
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LOL, even you get that too?
I get it all the time… but i just assumed it was because i played for another team.
One of the best things i ever learned in my training was how to get angry… and how to not hold on to it
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Thich Nhat Hahn’s book on anger was the gamer changer for me.
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I was getting wound up about things too, but have recently just let it go. I know this sounds pretty crass, but I just kinda quit caring if anyone else like their GF or if they are angry about delays, or that the printing area is smaller than advertised, or they like some other laser better, or whatever… People are free to post negative stuff and to vent, but now I just don’t even look at it. I have empathy for those still waiting and I hope everyone gets their GF sooner than later. I also completely understand the disappointment in the delays, but it’s a hobby laser and not the cure for cancer.
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Which book, please?
Pray tell, what kind of circle thing?
Honey, I am in my 50’s, you think I remember that old punk rock lingo? lol
I am literally speechless at the tone deafness of some people
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It seems like we are getting back to grumpiness, so more ANIMALS!
Here is a picture of (what I believe is) an Orb Weaver spider in my backyard. They make some pretty awesome webs, which are hard to take a picture of with my phone.
And just to translate this to Australian. (I’ve never been to Australia. @bdm is this accurate?)
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I added that one to my Amazon wish list yesterday because you and @bdm spoke highly of it (also because I might need a little help in the anger/letting go dept 
).
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THEN WHO WAS PHONE?
I just pick up the phone and rap it on the tabletop. I’ve become rather good at Morse Code lately, although I will admit to having replaced a few phones in the process.
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@joe there might be a few who do not thank you for posting spiders!
I am not sure what that spider is, but for me that is half the fun of going to a new country/continent… seeing all the cool new critters.
Next time get closer, it will play up for the camera if you give it a cuddle first.
I posted a Garden Orb Weaver, which is really just a sub-species of the Golden Orb Weaver. These are endemic to Sydney and almost every single garden has 5-10 of them. They are peaceful and keep to the outdoors. They also vary greatly in size. We have ones that are (fore-to-rear leg) 2cm long, up to 7cm long.
If any of you saw the footage of a spider eating a snake it was the Queensland (northern, thus more rainforest climate, Australia) variant. Everything grows a little more feral up there, including the animals
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Without getting too much on my soap box
‘Letting Go’ is one of the cornerstones of Zen practice, and certainly of other Buddhist Techniques too but i am not going to speak for them.
The first lesson you are taught in the Monastery is ‘cut’.
Whatever you are feeling right now - CUT… let it go
Whatever you are thinking right now - CUT… let it go
Is there a Future? - CUT!
Is there a Past? - CUT!
You would be doing something, deep in concentration, say sweeping the garden and the Roshi would walk up, say “CUT” and walk off.
For the first 2 years of the training this is all we teach
Even now if i find myself getting involved in something i just mention the word “cut” to myself and immediately it slips away, it is a very useful technique.
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For the most part, for my entire life I’ve just “let it go” it’s served me well except for the fact that I believe the same attitude has maybe stifles ambition and drive. At least in my case. 
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Understandable… this is why we are locked away in a Monastery and not trying to do this out in the ‘real world’.
Technically there is a difference between ‘letting go’ and ‘cutting’ but i find it easier to use the vernacular
The way it is traditionally taught is…
Cutting is like a mountain with clouds floating by, the mountain is immersed in, but not moved around by or even touched by the clouds
Letting Go is like tipping over a bowl of tea… you might let most of it out but some drops always remain.
The trick is to (try) fill the space created by the cut with ABSOLUTE focus in exactly what you are doing.
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An old poem might help
If i were to try to not think of you
That would still be thinking of you
Let me instead try to not think about thinking of you.
We are such hopeless romantics
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