Apple Mail won't send or recieve

I'm using newly installed mac OS X (10.5.1) and new .mac account. so this all leads up to setting up my email through my .mac account so I've got the whole thing working, I get a conformation email from apple and one from google purchases, and even one from a gmail account, low and behold I cannot reply to any message or create and send any message without getting prompted to choose from a list of servers (a list of one) and resend or try again later. There is also a link called connection doctor which says my .mac account is connecting to the internet but my server is not. so how about a little experiment? I asked my friend using a @sbcglobal.net email address (yahoo?) and I never received it, again the same thing with gmail etc. but I was able to create an account for this forum and get the email to confirm account! I suck at electronics so please humor me and explain my (probably excruciatingly simple) problem. ;D
-the ever confused noob

Pop the install DVD into the drive and boot from that. Go to utilities, Disk Utility and run Verify Disk. Then run Repair Permissions. You will find it will take its own sweet time - about 20 mibnutes or so.

Try mail again. You mail have to go to Mail preferences and delete your old account, click on the little (-) sign, setting up new account (click on the (+) sign), making sure all names, passwords and dots are in the right place.

Let's know how you go?

Hooyah!

thank you so much! It finally works!
-embodiment of joy.

Great stuff!

Just a matter of seek and ye shall find?