Stock email app won't push

[Boat]

I’m an old time WindowsCE op sys user and am hopelessly attached to Outlook, plus my work uses it but not via Exchange server.
I’ve found that once opening the email app, if I don’t kill it, I can’t get new emails pushed from my Verizon.net account.
I’ve been a Droid owner since a week after it came out and nearly turned it in after a week of rebooting every time I needed to check email.
Then I discovered Adv Task Killer and have lived with opening TK, Kill apps, then open Email app every time I want to get my new emails.
Having lived with it this long I'm used to it but just hoping someone out there knows of another workaround for this?