Marriage Mailing Lists

How many times have you wanted to to ask someone how they handled a specific situation in their marriage, or wonder how many other couples were enjoying their marriage as much as you?

Have there been times when you wished there was someone else you could bounce an idea off, or get another opinion about a decision you are making? For those of us familiar with the Internet, the way to make contact with others is easy - subscribe to a mailing list!

Mailing lists are computer distribution lists which focus on a particular topic. When you find one or several that you think look interesting and want to try them out, just send an email asking to be subscribed. Different lists have different "subscription" rules that you must follow specifically, or you won't be subscribed. Although you will be interacting with live people once you are on the lists, that initial contact is usually computer to computer and the host computers can be very very particular!! Once you've been added to the list, anytime anyone else on the list sends a message to the computer, the computer sends it to everyone on the mailing list and you'll start getting lots of email from people with the same interests as you.

There are all kinds of programs running mailing lists. Depending on the list "owner" and the type of computer program they are using, they will each be slightly different. One of the first emails you will receive is a confirmation or welcome letter. It is very important to save this letter. Set up a folder in your email program marked Welcome Lettersand transfer this type of message to that folder. There will be a time when you may want to unsubscribe, or you will be on vacation and want to suspend the mail for a while, or you prefer to have it sent "digest" form rather than separate messages. The only way you can make these changes in your subscription is with the information that is in that initial letter! Don't lose it!!

Since there are thousands and thousands of mailing lists, finding the right one for you can be a daunting task. Some web sites have directories of mailing lists where you can search for the one that interests you. Click here to get to a great site with over 70,000 lists to choose from. Here are a few concerning marriage you may want to check out:

• COUPLES-L
  This is a privately owned free discussion list where members discuss all information and issues related to couple relationships. The list is open to folks whether they are in a relationship currently or would just like to know more about couplehood. It is a friendly and supportive online community.
  To subscribe send the following command line as the body of an e-mail message:
  sub Couples-L yourfirstname yourlastname
  to ListProc@cornell.edu

• RETROUVAILLE EMAILIST
  This is an emailing list for couples, priests and religious who have participated in a Retrouvaille Program. This list postings include notices, information and questions about Retrouvaille.
  To subscribe simply e-mail info@retrouvaille.org

  A message will be returned to you asking for the proper info.

• The Rainbow Connection
  The Rainbow Connection Mailing List is a mailing list devoted to the topic of Long Distance Relationships (LDR's). Rainbow is not an internet dating or pick up service.
  To subscribe to rainbow, send the following in the body (not the subject line) of an email message to major@bofh.its.rmit.edu.au

  subscribe rainbow

• MFTC-L
  This list is for discussion of issues related to marriage and family therapy or that are of interest to marriage and family therapists. Opinions from varied theoretical approaches are encouraged and members of this list strive to see that all opinions are respected.
  If you have any questions about the MFTC-L list, write to the list owners at the generic address: MFTC-L-request@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
  

• married-life
  There Is Life After Marriage - this list is for married couples who have a life outside of their marriage. (Isn't that all of us??) Topics discussed are everyday concerns such as juggling careers, keeping the romance in your life after children arrive, keeping the spark in your life and many other things that relate to marriage.
  To subscribe, or get more information on Prodigy mailing lists, send a message with the word "help" in the body (no subject required) to majordomo@listserv.prodigy.com
  

• WME-L
  Worldwide Marriage Encounter Discussion List is made up primarily of couples, priests and religious who have attended a Marriage Encounter or Engaged Encounter weekend. Discussions include a wide range of topics related to marriage, including requests for prayers and information about the weekends.
  To subscribe write to LISTSERV@AMERICAN.EDU and, in the text of your message (not the subject line), write: SUBSCRIBE WME-L.
  

  Remember to lurk on any new list for a week or so. This is the only way to know if a list and you have a good "fit". Lurking on the internet means you read the messages on the list without responding to them. This can be hard to do. We all want to put our two cents in now and then. However, some mailing lists can generate over 100 emails a day. Others can be so quiet, you might think you didn't get subscribed!

  Do you have any to add? Let us know by sending us a note.

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