Quote - In addition to, or instead of deselcting whole objects, what about in Edit Mode?  Can I somehow tell Blender I wish to DEselect faces simply by clicking on the empty grid, or empty scene space?  Instead of always a hotkey?

Thanks for all the help.  Even if non of this is possible, I would still be amazed every day at the wonders of Blender.  How can it be that a FREE software can do all of this?  It's awesome.  :thumbupboth:

Welcome to the community of FLOSS, where it's about community, not profit. One of the artists on BlenderArtists.org has this on her signature:

If our currency were not money but appreciation and acknowledgement for what we do for others, for the community, for the benefit of all, we would have paradise on earth.

Monterey/Mint21.x/Win10 - Blender3.x - PP11.3(cm) - Musescore3.6.2

Wir sind gewohnt, daß die Menschen verhöhnen was sie nicht verstehen
[it is clear that humans have contempt for that which they do not understand] 

Metaphor of Chooks