Wow, Joe and I have a lot of similarities!
I believe I first saw it through the Tested youtube channel, but it was also coincidentally when I was looking at lasers and 3D printers. When I first saw it, I was just blown away - I had never even seen a laser in person, and the marketing video had me hooked. In fact, I showed everybody that I knew the video and asked if they thought I should get one (which they all obviously did, because your friend getting a laser is just as good as you getting a laser). It took me about a week to decide, as well, but I was lucky enough that I was early in the pre-order campaign.
As for the reading and discussions, these were all things that I had already been doing, but for the epilog brand lasers. I was so captivated by lasers that I had requested some information from Epilog and they sent me their 3D engraved Mayan calendar as well as some veneer (I have the veneer still waiting to be lasered by my glowforge!). Glowforge happened to be doing their marketing campaign during the same time that I was looking at lasers, and because of the price, I couldn’t pass it up. My wife was a big part of the decision making, but we have had an arrangement for a few years that whatever she wants she can buy, and vice versa. She’s certainly not the type of person to randomly buy a laser, though, so you could say our arrangement is a little unfair 
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My hopes for this machine have constantly changed. When I bought it originally, I had no idea of the capabilities, and at the time it was going to be more for hobby stuff, but as I’ve been making more things, I’ve been really enjoying the idea of making my own business! I suppose I have started small sales and commission work, so you could say I have started a business 
My real hope is that the Glowforge team will grandfather my original purchase price and allow me to purchase another machine, because I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one knowing what I do now!
To say that this purchase was successful is putting it mildly. It has literally brought, not only me, but those around me, heaps of joy and amusement. I haven’t necessarily considered myself a very creative person, but this machine has enabled me to consider myself a maker, and that has always been one of my dreams. It’s hard to beat a tool that can open as many doors as this one has.