[Sheila]

Prior post seemed to be a temporary fix. After a couple of times, Word began
freezing again.

IF YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE IN **ACCESS**, try this:

Open the database you want to use in Access. Open the query or table where
the email addresses are located (in my case, a query).

Click the tab for "External Data," and choose "More." Choose "Merge it with
Microsoft Word."

Select either an existing document or create new, whichever applies to your
situation. You'll either choose your existing document and Word will open or
Word will open for you to create a new document. Either way, Word will
display the 'wizard' options on the right side of your screen.

Choose Email messages and then Next.

Choose whichever option is right for your situation -- Use current, Start
from template, or Start from existing ... choose Next.

This opens the Choose List menu, still on the right side of your Word
screen. Since you opened Word from Access, the list you started with is
named in the menu. You can choose a different list or edit the list from
here, if you want. Choose Next.

Preview your emails, if you want, then choose Next again. Note: The option
is "Next, Complete the merge," but you'll still have a chance to insert your
subject line on the next screen.

Choose "Electronic Mail" to open the Merge to Email pop up. Choose the
field where your email addresses are located from the drop down; add a
subject line; choose the format for your email. You can also choose to have
the merge send to all, some, or one contact from your list. I choose All.
Click OK, and the merge begins.

Besides not hanging up, I noticed that the merge goes super-fast. If you
watch the Word screen, bottom right-hand corner, when I begin my merge in
Word, each "save" takes a second or two. When I begin my merge in Access,
following thse steps, each "save" takes a fraction of a second.

Note: Haven't tried it with my antiVirus running, but I forgot to take
Outlook to offline mode, and it ran great.