this is SUPER helpful, thank you! DreamHost controls our DNS. i remember that specifically because it was a GIANT fight to get it away from my ex and into a place where he didn't have a password/any kind of access (beyond that of the general public to any website) to it. he was, without overtly saying so, holding all of my 14 years of intellectual property on our website hostage. (i have done 99% of the writing, 100% of the photography, and i was the only steward actively engaged in revising the layout & design of the website when we revamped it a few years back with the help of a web designer; i am the only person who maintains it. hence DreamHost, which does a lot of work in the background for me!)

i'll go run this lil' email test now. thank you!