from getting new email. what is your first diagnostic? what would you do first? reboot the server?

First I would check the services, then event log and then reboot the server

what services should i be checking exactly? what is the name of the services that i should check on?

nothing showing in event logs. i check the services and the following are "automatic" and "started" : blackberry alert, attachment service, controller, dispatcher, mobile data service, policy service, router, and synchronization services. so what now? im still not receiving any new email on my bb.

I would try to usb synch my device through desktop mangler.
If that doesn't work, delete your service book and resynch.

You don't have to restart the whole machine. You can just restart the dispatcher service.

If it is only one device not getting messages I would tend to lean towards some kind of activation issue and try to re-activate.

Does the desktop mail client get the messages?

I LOVE it! Best quote of the day! I am gonna use it somehow!

(Just having fun Tricky_ott!)

Is this only happening on one device? or on every device on the BES?

First thing I check is if our Exchange environment is having problems. 99.9% of the time there is some issue with Exchange that is wreaking havoc on my BES. And the Exchange admins NEVER tell me.