Is there a way I could now employ lasso or drag etc over the circles outlined in blue only to keep those ones selected, and release the other ones from the selection?
dear Jeremy - you can do so by using a macro.
you can try macros with the _macroEditor enter the following: _SelNone _lasso _pause _enter _invert _lock _lasso _pause _enter _unlock
this will:
unselect all
make Group 1 Selection with user - interaction (_pause for user input)
invert selection
lock everything
make Group 2 Selection with user - interaction (_pause for user input)
unlock - (which might also unlock objects, that have been lock before the macro)