diff --git a/core/menu_module.js b/core/menu_module.js
index c135ed5a..a563e48a 100644
--- a/core/menu_module.js
+++ b/core/menu_module.js
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ function MenuModule(options) {
 		this.menuConfig.options.cls : 
 		Config.menus.cls;
 
+	this.menuConfig.config = this.menuConfig.config || {};
+
 	this.initViewControllers();
 
 	this.initSequence = function() {
@@ -190,6 +192,13 @@ MenuModule.prototype.enter = function(client) {
 	this.client = client;
 	assert(_.isObject(client));
 
+	menuUtil.applyGeneralThemeCustomization( {
+		name		: this.menuName,
+		client		: this.client,
+		type		: 'menus',
+		config		: this.menuConfig.config,
+	});
+
 	if(_.isString(this.menuConfig.status)) {
 		this.client.currentStatus = this.menuConfig.status;
 	} else {
diff --git a/core/menu_util.js b/core/menu_util.js
index 239922d2..d8643562 100644
--- a/core/menu_util.js
+++ b/core/menu_util.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ exports.loadMenu						= loadMenu;
 exports.getFormConfigByIDAndMap			= getFormConfigByIDAndMap;
 exports.handleAction					= handleAction;
 exports.handleNext						= handleNext;
-exports.applyThemeCustomization			= applyThemeCustomization;
+exports.applyGeneralThemeCustomization	= applyGeneralThemeCustomization;
+exports.applyMciThemeCustomization		= applyMciThemeCustomization;
 
 function getMenuConfig(name, cb) {
 	var menuConfig;
@@ -255,17 +256,45 @@ function handleNext(client, nextSpec, conf) {
 	}
 }
 
-//	:TODO: custom art needs a way to be themed -- e.g. config.art.someArtThing -- what does this mean exactly?
+
 
 //	:TODO: Seems better in theme.js, but that includes ViewController...which would then include theme.js
-function applyThemeCustomization(options) {
+//	...theme.js only brings in VC to create themed pause prompt. Perhaps that should live elsewhere
+
+function applyGeneralThemeCustomization(options) {
+	//
+	//	options.name
+	//	options.client
+	//	options.type
+	//	options.config
+	//
+	assert(_.isString(options.name));
+	assert(_.isObject(options.client));
+	assert("menus" === options.type || "prompts" === options.type);
+	
+	if(_.has(options.client.currentTheme, [ 'customization', options.type, options.name ])) {
+		var themeConfig = options.client.currentTheme.customization[options.type][options.name];
+
+		if(themeConfig.config) {
+			Object.keys(themeConfig.config).forEach(function confEntry(conf) {
+				if(options.config[conf]) {
+					_.defaultsDeep(options.config[conf], themeConfig.config[conf]);
+				} else {
+					options.config[conf] = themeConfig.config[conf];
+				}
+			});
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
+function applyMciThemeCustomization(options) {
 	//
 	//	options.name 		: menu/prompt name
 	//	options.mci			: menu/prompt .mci section
 	//	options.client		: client
 	//	options.type		: menu|prompt
 	//	options.formId		: (optional) form ID in cases where multiple forms may exist wanting their own customization
-	//	options.config		: menu/prompt .config section
 	//
 	//	In the case of formId, the theme must include the ID as well, e.g.:
 	//  {
@@ -283,10 +312,6 @@ function applyThemeCustomization(options) {
 		options.mci = {};
 	}
 
-	if(_.isUndefined(options.config)) {
-		options.config = {};
-	}
-
 	if(_.has(options.client.currentTheme, [ 'customization', options.type, options.name ])) {
 		var themeConfig = options.client.currentTheme.customization[options.type][options.name];
 
@@ -305,16 +330,6 @@ function applyThemeCustomization(options) {
 				}
 			});
 		}
-
-		if(themeConfig.config) {
-			Object.keys(themeConfig.config).forEach(function confEntry(conf) {
-				if(options.config[conf]) {
-					_.defaultsDeep(options.config[conf], themeConfig.config[conf]);
-				} else {
-					options.config[conf] = themeConfig.config[conf];
-				}
-			});
-		}
 	}
 
 	//	:TODO: apply generic stuff, e.g. "VM" (vs "VM1")
diff --git a/core/view_controller.js b/core/view_controller.js
index 4dbed5a9..f08652e2 100644
--- a/core/view_controller.js
+++ b/core/view_controller.js
@@ -457,13 +457,13 @@ ViewController.prototype.loadFromPromptConfig = function(options, cb) {
 				});
 			},
 			function applyThemeCustomization(callback) {
+				//	:TODO: apply .config customization as well
 				if(_.isObject(promptConfig)) {
-					menuUtil.applyThemeCustomization({
+					menuUtil.applyMciThemeCustomization({
 						name		: promptName,
 						type		: "prompts",
 						client		: self.client,
-						mci			: promptConfig.mci,
-						config		: promptConfig.config,
+						mci			: promptConfig.mci
 					});
 				}
 				callback(null);
@@ -572,20 +572,24 @@ ViewController.prototype.loadFromMenuConfig = function(options, cb) {
 				});
 			},
 			function applyThemeCustomization(callback) {
-				//if(_.isObject(formConfig)) {
-					formConfig = formConfig || {};
+				formConfig = formConfig || {};
+				//self.client.currentMenuModule.menuConfig.config = self.client.currentMenuModule.menuConfig.config || {};
 
-					console.log(formConfig)
+				//console.log('menu config.....');
+				//console.log(self.client.currentMenuModule.menuConfig)
 
-					menuUtil.applyThemeCustomization({
-						name		: self.client.currentMenuModule.menuName,
-						type		: 'menus',
-						client		: self.client,
-						mci			: formConfig.mci,
-						config		: formConfig.config,
-						formId		: formIdKey,
-					});
-				//}
+				menuUtil.applyMciThemeCustomization({
+					name		: self.client.currentMenuModule.menuName,
+					type		: 'menus',
+					client		: self.client,
+					mci			: formConfig.mci,
+					//config		: self.client.currentMenuModule.menuConfig.config,
+					formId		: formIdKey,
+				});
+
+				//console.log('after theme...')
+				//console.log(self.client.currentMenuModule.menuConfig.config)
+				
 				callback(null);
 			},
 			function applyViewConfiguration(callback) {
diff --git a/mods/last_callers.js b/mods/last_callers.js
index c6f99b16..bb7a29a9 100644
--- a/mods/last_callers.js
+++ b/mods/last_callers.js
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ exports.getModule	= LastCallersModule;
 //	:TODO:
 //	*	config.evenRowSGR (optional)
 
+//	:TODO: convert to using %XY system for finding row count
+
 function LastCallersModule(options) {
 	MenuModule.call(this, options);
 
@@ -32,7 +34,13 @@ function LastCallersModule(options) {
 	this.menuConfig	= options.menuConfig;
 
 	this.rows			= 10;
-	
+}
+
+util.inherits(LastCallersModule, MenuModule);
+
+LastCallersModule.prototype.enter = function(client) {
+	LastCallersModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(this, client);
+
 	if(_.isObject(this.menuConfig.config)) {
 		if(_.isNumber(this.menuConfig.config.rows)) {
 			this.rows = Math.max(1, this.menuConfig.config.rows);
@@ -41,12 +49,6 @@ function LastCallersModule(options) {
 			this.dateTimeFormat = this.menuConfig.config.dateTimeFormat;
 		}
 	}
-}
-
-util.inherits(LastCallersModule, MenuModule);
-
-LastCallersModule.prototype.enter = function(client) {
-	LastCallersModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(this, client);
 
 	//	we need the client to init this for theming
 	if(!_.isString(this.dateTimeFormat)) {
diff --git a/mods/msg_list.js b/mods/msg_list.js
index 288f15b3..fa02abe1 100644
--- a/mods/msg_list.js
+++ b/mods/msg_list.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ function MessageListModule(options) {
 		selectMessage : function(formData, extraArgs) {
 			if(1 === formData.submitId) {
 				var modOpts = {
-					name		: 'messageAreaViewPost',	//	:TODO: should come from config?
+					name		: 'messageAreaViewPost',	//	:TODO: should come from config!!!
 					extraArgs 	: {
 						messageAreaName		: self.messageAreaName,
 						messageList			: self.messageList,
@@ -72,14 +72,13 @@ function MessageListModule(options) {
 require('util').inherits(MessageListModule, MenuModule);
 
 MessageListModule.prototype.enter = function(client) {
+	MessageListModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(this, client);
 
 	if('private' === this.listType) {
 		this.messageAreaName = Message.WellKnownAreaNames.Private;
 	} else {
 		this.messageAreaName = client.user.properties.message_area_name;
 	}
-
-	MessageListModule.super_.prototype.enter.call(this, client);
 };
 
 MessageListModule.prototype.mciReady = function(mciData, cb) {
@@ -112,15 +111,29 @@ MessageListModule.prototype.mciReady = function(mciData, cb) {
 			function populateList(callback) {
 				var msgListView = vc.getView(1);
 
+				var listFormat = self.menuConfig.config.listFormat || '{msgNum:>4} - {subj:>35} |{to:>15}';
+				var focusListFormat = self.menuConfig.config.focusListFormat;
+
 				var msgNum = 1;
 				msgListView.setItems(_.map(self.messageList, function formatMsgListEntry(mle) {
-					return '{msgNum:>4} - {subj:>25} {to:>15}'.format( { 
+					return listFormat.format( { 
 						msgNum	: msgNum++, 
 						subj	: mle.subject,
 						to		: mle.toUserName
 					} );
 				}));
 
+				if(focusListFormat) {
+					msgNum = 1;
+					msgListView.setFocusItems(_.map(self.messageList, function formatMsgListEntry(mle) {
+						return focusListFormat.format( { 
+							msgNum	: msgNum++, 
+							subj	: mle.subject,
+							to		: mle.toUserName
+						} );
+					}));
+				}
+
 				msgListView.redraw();
 
 				callback(null);
diff --git a/mods/themes/luciano_blocktronics/theme.hjson b/mods/themes/luciano_blocktronics/theme.hjson
index 47f20d05..7f421340 100644
--- a/mods/themes/luciano_blocktronics/theme.hjson
+++ b/mods/themes/luciano_blocktronics/theme.hjson
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@
 				}
 			}
 
+			messageAreaMessageList: {
+				config: {
+					listFormat: "|00|01|37{msgNum:>4} |22|37- |00|36{subj:>35} |01{to:>17}"
+					focusListFormat: "|00|01|42|37{msgNum:>4} |22|37- |36{subj:>35} |01{to:>17}"
+				}
+			}
+
 			messageAreaViewPost: {
 				0: {
 					mci: {