diff --git a/core/config.js b/core/config.js
index 56db26a3..80dda942 100644
--- a/core/config.js
+++ b/core/config.js
@@ -31,7 +31,15 @@ function init(configPath, cb) {
 				});
 			},
 			function mergeWithDefaultConfig(configJson, callback) {
-				var mergedConfig = _.defaultsDeep(configJson, getDefaultConfig());
+				//var mergedConfig = _.defaultsDeep(configJson, getDefaultConfig());
+				var mergedConfig = _.merge(getDefaultConfig(), configJson, function mergeCustomizer(conf1, conf2) {
+					//	Arrays should always concat
+					if(_.isArray(conf1)) {
+						//	:TODO: look for collisions & override dupes
+						return conf1.concat(conf2);
+					}
+				});
+
 				callback(null, mergedConfig);
 			}
 		],
@@ -67,6 +75,7 @@ function getDefaultConfig() {
 			passwordMax			: 128,
 			requireActivation	: true,	//	require SysOp activation?
 			invalidUsernames	: [],
+		
 			defaultGroups		: [ 'users' ]
 		},
 
@@ -113,6 +122,12 @@ function getDefaultConfig() {
 			}
 		},
 
+		messages : {
+			areas : [
+				{ name : "private_mail", desc : "Private Email", groups : [ "users" ] }
+			]
+		},
+
 		networks : {
 			/*
 			networkName : {	//	e.g. fidoNet
diff --git a/core/message_area.js b/core/message_area.js
index 077c87ad..7f653d75 100644
--- a/core/message_area.js
+++ b/core/message_area.js
@@ -2,15 +2,59 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var msgDb			= require('./database.js').dbs.message;
+var Config			= require('./config.js').config;
 
 var async			= require('async');
 var _				= require('lodash');
 var assert			= require('assert');
 
 exports.getAvailableMessageAreas			= getAvailableMessageAreas;
-exports.changeCurrentArea					= changeCurrentArea;
+exports.changeMessageArea					= changeMessageArea;
 
-//	:TODO: need total / new + other stats
+function getAvailableMessageAreas() {
+	return Config.messages.areas;
+}
+
+function changeMessageArea(client, areaName, cb) {
+	
+	async.waterfall(
+		[
+			function getArea(callback) {
+				var availAreas = getAvailableMessageAreas();
+
+				areaName	= areaName.toLowerCase();	//	always lookup lowercase
+				var index	= _.findIndex(availAreas, function pred(a) {
+					return a.name === areaName;
+				});
+
+				if(index > -1) {
+					callback(null, availAreas[index]);
+				} else {
+					callback(new Error('Invalid message area'));
+				}
+			},
+			function validateAccess(area, callback) {
+				//	:TODO: validate user has access to |area| -- must belong to group(s) specified
+				callback(null, area);
+			},
+			function changeArea(area, callback) {
+				client.user.persistProperties( { message_area_name : area.name, message_area_desc : area.desc }, function persisted(err) {
+					callback(err, area);
+				});
+			}
+		],
+		function complete(err, area) {
+			if(!err) {
+				client.log.info( area, 'Current message area changed');
+			} else {
+				client.log.warn( { area : area, error : err.message }, 'Could not change message area');
+			}
+
+			cb(err);
+		}
+	);
+}
+/*
 function getAvailableMessageAreas(cb) {
 	var areas = [];	//	{ areaId, name, groupIds[] }
 	
@@ -59,7 +103,6 @@ function getAvailableMessageAreas(cb) {
 			cb(err, areas);
 		}
 	);
-
 }
 
 function changeCurrentArea(client, areaId, cb) {
@@ -104,4 +147,5 @@ function changeCurrentArea(client, areaId, cb) {
 			cb(err);
 		}
 	);
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+*/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/core/user.js b/core/user.js
index 3e5e7b5c..cfddcb18 100644
--- a/core/user.js
+++ b/core/user.js
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ User.prototype.persistProperty = function(propName, propValue, cb) {
 User.prototype.persistProperties = function(properties, cb) {
 	var self = this;
 
-	//	:TODO: should probably add/update live properties
+	//	update live props
+	_.merge(this.properties, properties);
 
 	var stmt = userDb.prepare(
 		'REPLACE INTO user_property (user_id, prop_name, prop_value) ' + 
diff --git a/mods/msg_area_list.js b/mods/msg_area_list.js
index 01ce02a5..08324c6b 100644
--- a/mods/msg_area_list.js
+++ b/mods/msg_area_list.js
@@ -30,11 +30,26 @@ function MessageAreaListModule(options) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	this.entryFormat = this.entryFormat || '( {areaId} ) - {name}';
+	this.entryFormat = this.entryFormat || '( {index} ) - {desc}';
 
 	this.menuMethods = {
 		changeArea : function(formData, extraArgs) {
 			if(1 === formData.submitId) {
+				var areaName = self.messageAreas[formData.value.area].name;
+
+				messageArea.changeMessageArea(self.client, areaName, function areaChanged(err) {
+					if(err) {
+						self.client.term.pipeWrite('\n|00Cannot change area: ' + err.message + '\n');
+
+						setTimeout(function timeout() {
+							self.client.gotoMenuModule( { name : self.menuConfig.fallback } );
+						}, 1000);
+					} else {
+						self.client.gotoMenuModule( { name : self.menuConfig.fallback } );
+					}
+				});
+
+				/*
 				var areaId = self.messageAreas[formData.value.area].areaId;
 
 				messageArea.changeCurrentArea(self.client, areaId, function areaChanged(err) {
@@ -48,6 +63,7 @@ function MessageAreaListModule(options) {
 						self.client.gotoMenuModule( { name : self.menuConfig.fallback } );
 					}
 				});
+*/
 			}
 		}
 	};
@@ -59,11 +75,19 @@ require('util').inherits(MessageAreaListModule, MenuModule);
 MessageAreaListModule.prototype.enter = function(client) {
 	var self = this;
 
+	self.messageAreas = messageArea.getAvailableMessageAreas();
+
+	console.log(self.messageAreas)
+
+	MessageAreaListModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(self, client);
+
+	/*
+
 	messageArea.getAvailableMessageAreas(function fetched(err, areas) {
 		self.messageAreas = areas;
 		
 		MessageAreaListModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(self, client);
-	});
+	});*/
 };
 
 MessageAreaListModule.prototype.mciReady = function(mciData, cb) {
@@ -91,14 +115,23 @@ MessageAreaListModule.prototype.mciReady = function(mciData, cb) {
 			function populateAreaListView(callback) {
 				var areaListView = vc.getView(1);
 
+				/*
 				var areaList = [];
 				self.messageAreas.forEach(function entry(msgArea) {
 					//	:TODO: depending on options, filter out private, local user to user, etc. area IDs
 					//	:TODO: dep. on options, filter out areas that current user does not have access to
 					areaList.push(strUtil.format(self.entryFormat, msgArea));
-				});
+				});*/
 
-				areaListView.setItems(areaList);
+				var areaListItems = [];
+				for(var i = 0; i < self.messageAreas.length; ++i) {
+					areaListItems.push(strUtil.format(
+						self.entryFormat, 
+						{ index : i, name : self.messageAreas[i].name, desc : self.messageAreas[i].desc	})
+					);
+				}
+
+				areaListView.setItems(areaListItems);
 				areaListView.redraw();
 			}
 		],