If it is any help I use GMail for my email and then pick it up locally using Outlook 2003 (Office 2007 is sooo......complicated, I do not have the time for the steep learning curve!!)
GMail is portable and you can use it with any ISP (so no more sending out emails when you change your email address).
BUT (if you so choose) there is always a copy of your email stuff and addresses out there in Google land, always accessible (we hope) in the event of a major crisis locally.