def METHOD_NAME(self, rpts = ""):
    strTime = time.strftime('%X %x')
    if rpts != "":   #recipient specified
        try:
            self.Recipients = [rpts]
        except:
            print strTime + " sendMail: invalid recipient"
    else:   #use recipients.txt
        try:
            f1 = open(self.rptsPath, 'r')
            rpts_lines = f1.readlines()
            f1.close()
            self.Recipients = [l.strip() for l in rpts_lines]   #strip off \n
        except:
            print strTime + " sendMail: Failed to open or read recipients.txt"