Adobe Media Encoder doesn't recognize any queue

I am at wits end.  (Using a 2009 27 in iMac 8gb ram 1tb hdd).

I have used media encoder once before.  And it seemed to work.

NOW though, I exported a sequence to the queue. Twice. With adobe media encoder open and waiting. Nothing! I've been sitting here for half an hour.

The project is ~40 minutes long, so it's possible I am just being impatient. 

My issue is, with all the other stuff I am doing in premiere/on my computer, my RAM and sanity can't take exporting directly from premiere and keeping the app open and unusable for what will likely be days of exporting.

(I have to have this long project ready by the end of next month, and it's not remotely feasible to load all the files onto a hard drive, render them, and play)

Is there anything I can do? Thank you.