>Things don't seem to be flowing smoothly in FidoNet.  I've not yet
 >seen here a message I entered into the echo from Des Moines which
 >announced I finally had local access to it
  Bruce, I'd be the last to attest to the reliability of Fido in most cases, 
but, this time, the aforementioned message *did* arrive here. Here's a copy:
----------------------------------------------------------------------- Msg # 
xxx of xxxxx               Date: Thu  7-25-96, 10:40 pm  [I] From: BRUCE 
WILSON               Read: 1 times  [1 Reply]
     To: ALL                     Origin: 1:290/627
Subject: CONNECTED!
Dan here finally did it ... and I've finally got local access to
this echo.  :-)
-!- Via Silver Xpress V4.3P BT004
-!- QM v1.30
 * 0rigin: FOG-Line - Ankeny Iowa - 515-964-7937 (1:290/627.0)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  I just checked your options in the Valence Qwk-mail door here, and there's 
a reason you didn't see it in your mail packets. You currently have your 
Options set to NOT download messages that were sent by you (regardless of 
what system they originate from). Heres's a snapshot of your options. Note 
the area highlighted with the carets (^):
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Set Options
 1. Protocol: Default to BBS prot
    BBS prot: Zmodem
 2. Archiver: ZIP
 3. Mark new messages as read . Yes     4. Text packets instead of QWK No
 5. Include new files listing . Yes     6. Include new bulletins ..... Yes
 7. DL only new private mail .. No      8. Kill private mail after DL  Yes
 9. DL messages FROM yourself . No     10. Yucky conference numbers .. No
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
11. Numbered packet names ..... Yes    12. DL packets with no messages No
[....]
Option to change - 0 to quit (0-16 [0])
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  Just set option #9 to Yes, and you can talk to yourself all the time! ;)
--- SLMAIL v4.0a  (#0304)
---------------