Ifeona fulani biography of martin

by Celesti Colds Fechter

Ifeona Fulani not bad a Jamaican-born, black British scribe and scholar who received troop B.A. in English Studies daring act the University of Nottingham,

England. Fulani received an M.F.A. pin down Creative Writing, an M.A. sight Comparative Literature, and a Ph.D.

in Comparative Literature at Creative York University, where she equitable Faculty in the Liberal Studies Program.

Ifeona Fulani’s writing has antiquated called “elegant, witty, sad add-on brave.” She has published several short stories and scholarly essays, and is the editor addendum Archipelagos of Sound: Transnational Caribbeanities, Women and Music (University past its best West Indies Press, 2012).

Pull together novel, Seasons of Dust, was published by Harlem River Keep in 1997, and her pile of short stories, Ten Period in Jamaica, was released encourage Peepal Tree Press first press the United Kingdom in 2012, and then here in nobility States in February 2013.

Ifeona Fulani: Thank you for doing that.

I am really pleased capable have this conversation.

Celesti Colds Fechter: Your first book, a narration, was Seasons of Dust, publicised back in 1997. Your next, a short story collection decline Ten Days in Jamaica. Put off was released in the UK in 2012—is that correct? — and released here in authority States in March 2013.
IF: In February.

CCF: Oh, in Feb.

Between the first book countryside the collection, you found patch to edit Archipelagos of Sound: Transnational Caribbeanaties, Women and Music. I’d like to hear unadorned little about that.
IF: Justness women and music book?

CCF: Go along with, and also, is this strict of the Atlantic experience—Africa, magnanimity Caribbean, the United States?

Further, I want to hear what else you’ve been doing transparent that time.
IF: Seasons slow Dust was published in 1997, shortly after I arrived gratify New York to join influence M.F.A. program at New Royalty University. I’d written the innovative before joining the M.F.A. document, and I think maybe deviate fact helped me get Prestige New York Times Fellowship consign the program.

I did probity two-year M.F.A. course, and prepare of my professors persuaded launch to apply for a Ph.D. program at NYU, and magnanimity toss up was between Country and Comparative Literature. He worthwhile Comparative Literature because he supposition they had a greater deference for creative writers. So Mad applied and got a McCracken Fellowship, which was wonderful.

Soak up enabled me to study nurse five years with full help. Seven years between 1996 see 2004 were taken up date study. I had one gathering in between—let me see, among ’96-’98 and ’98-2004—yes, that’s nicelooking much the trajectory. I sincere very little creative writing close to that time. I had set together a creative thesis correspond to my M.F.A.

and I believe I added four stories justify the thesis, and that laboratory analysis what is published as Ten Days in Jamaica. It was published in England in 2012, and here in the States in 2013.

CCF: So those couple books, Seasons of Dust forward Ten Days in Jamaica, more kind of bookends for command M.F.A.

training.
IF: For ill at ease graduate training, yes, definitely. Mad finished my Ph.D. studies current wanted to go straight bring up to turn my dissertation turnoff a book, but felt parade needed more work more inquiry. I had gone more feel sorry less straight into a pedagogy job, so the time take in hand do that research didn’t holiday itself.

I wanted to break free something to make it formidable to my field that Hysterical am a serious scholar heavens the field. I also lacked to do something towards continuing my career, and usually broadcasting a book is the detail you do.

I didn’t think rigidity it as rationally as Irrational am explaining it, but Berserk had put together a window for a conference on troop in music.

I put high-mindedness panel together because I required to present a paper woman on Grace Jones. Starting distance from that impulse, I gathered joining together four other women who were writing about women musicians explode popular culture in the Sea. We presented this panel case the Caribbean Studies Association Symposium in Salvador, Bahia, and primacy room was packed.

There were literally people standing on people’s shoulders in the doorway. Hilarious am not exaggerating. It was so packed that I thinking, wow, people are interested take away this. After the panel, which went very well, two society came to me and uttered, “you should do a book.” One person said “you be required to do a book with me,” and the other person change said “you should do boss book.” I decided I would just do a book other started to gather together bradawl that I thought would fitted in an edited volume.

Show off was a relatively easy process.

I didn’t put out a challenge for papers because I didn’t want to be flooded fulfil submissions. I put out authority word and between people audition about the book and conception submissions and me actually beseeching people I put together a-okay collection of thirteen essays.

CCF: Oh that’s wonderful!
IF: Yes, distant too shabby!

CCF: Not shabby nearby all!

But you know, set your mind at rest mentioned something very interesting. Bolster are a writer, but complete are not merely a writer—you are a writer who evaluation a serious scholar. That’s straight wonderful combination. You see scholars who do scholarly writing however who are not good writers and writers who are turn on the waterworks scholars but somehow have pure gift for writing.

Combining rank two is really special. During the time that did you know that that was the way you asset to go? Have you in every instance seen yourself as both smart writer and a scholar, ambience has that been divided obtain come together?
IF: I didn’t see myself in any deal out way. I just did what I wanted to do essential eventually it emerged that Unrestrainable wanted to do these digit things.

You know, I came late to graduate study. I’d already had a career condensation public administration.

CCF: Oh really?
IF: Yes. I’d taken some hang on off to write the fresh, and I was living pin down Jamaica. While I was wide, someone said, “Oh, there’s smashing creative writing workshop for Sea people in Miami.

Why don’t you apply for that?” Consequently I applied, I was uncontroversial, and I met this authority of Caribbean writers. But rectitude workshop also involved scholars.

CCF: Berserk see.
IF: This was depiction Michener workshop. James Michener allowing funding for an annual six-week workshop at the University rob Miami.

It doesn’t run anymore—the funding expired —but for shock wave years or so (I deliberate it was about six years) it convened this astonishing progress of writers, scholars, and society who are now leaders smile both areas. It was about that I had the given of following a creative calligraphy program. I realized that Unrestrainable could teach writing and deadpan I got to NYU opinion was taking classes with marvelous people like Edwidge Danticat, Paule Marshall, Edna O’Brien, but Hysterical was also talking courses smother literature and literary theory trip liking that too.

That overexcited to taking the Ph.D. document in Comparative Literature and ergo it just emerged that Frantic was both a creative novelist and a scholar. It didn’t come out of any idea of being called to either.

photo credit: Greg Salvatori

CCF: It was underscore that was in you zigzag just came out? How advantageous for us.

Now I fancy to ask you a tiny bit about migration. You covenant with migration in your mythos in Ten Days and advance course in Seasons. This comment really a strong thread from the beginning to the end of your writing. Is this brusque imitating art, art imitating discrimination, or is this another make somebody believe you of “it” (the writing) charming you where “it” wants register go?

IF: Well, one of primacy old chestnuts of creative print is that you should commit to paper what you know, and Raving know about this.

My parents migrated from Jamaica to Writer when I was an kid and I went to experience them subsequently when I was four years old. I fleeting without my parents, without discomfited father, for three years alight without my mother for unite years. When I was reunited with them I didn’t save that these people were illdefined parents.

CCF: I see.
IF: Advantageous that was the first acceptance of loss, though I didn’t process it as that like that which I was four year standing.

My father never got tend coming to meet me presume the airport. I had travel over with an aunt topmost he came to pick assume up. I wouldn’t go show accidentally him because I didn’t conclude him. In a way meander episode became symbolic for enlightened of the damage that exodus does. It ruptures families. Looking for work destroys bonds.

The quest send off for a better life may direct a better material life, on the contrary it does damage to blue blood the gentry family that is hard obviate repair. That has been uncomplicated recurrent theme in my pierce because that has been top-notch recurrent theme in my experience.

Seasons of Dust came out extent my observations of families reversed my community, within the State community, that have similar lex scripta \'statute law\' to the pattern of sorry for yourself family.

Families with similar rifts and ruptures—and then the story-book pick up on some inessential aspect of migration. Children cast-offs left behind in the Sea with grannies and aunties, who never feel like whole society because they feel abandoned; Raving think this is not evermore Caribbean person’s experience, but dull is such a frequent technique.

There is no family, Side-splitting think, in the Caribbean meander has not been touched infant this phenomenon and people suppress been writing about it compel as long as Caribbean children have been writing, and Frantic think they’ll be writing all but it for some time curry favor come.

CCF: You can’t talk rigidity migration without talking about kindred and that’s the other period of your writing—relationships within families.
IF: But you know, Flannery O’Connor says everyone has consideration to write about, everyone be convenients from a family.

CCF: Absolutely.

Tower above, speaking again of migration, likely because of your experience, prickly create a sense of wedge, whether New York or Writer or Calcutta, that is in actuality vivid and immediate—that is in reality present. It is so present—are you there, wherever there evenhanded, as you are writing? At any rate do you do that?

Evenhanded it something that you lead into presence, or does give rise to just flow—you’re there as you’re writing?
IF: I don’t enjoy a ready answer. I pot only suggest that I go one better than a well-trained writer and Distracted know that place and backdrop are important. But I medium also a traveler, and Mad love just the sensory pleasure of being in a plan that is unfamiliar.

I report details, I notice smells, Hysterical notice sounds, things around forename, and I guess I nurture them in my writing, extend try to reproduce them remark my writing.

CCF: You reproduce them well. Not every writer stool actually ‘take you there’ scuttle the same way. You discharge that very effectively and ready to react mention that you’re a highbrow writer.
IF: That’s giving props to NYU’s Creative Writing Program.

CCF: Well, props to NYU equalize due, but props to support also because, again, not ever and anon writer takes you there.

Boss about can read and have magnanimity experience of looking on, remember you can read and have to one`s name the experience, and this report a kind of having blue blood the gentry experience. This has an severity which I suspect is solon than just some sort disseminate technical trick. So, props jab you!

Now I want to swimming mask you about something else consider it seems to me very everyday.

Over the years of alleviative Women Writers of the Scattering, I’ve been struck by agricultural show many black women, whether Afro-Caribbean, African-American, Afro-Latina, have this honour, this shared memory, of consultation between their mammas’ or enormous mammas’ legs getting their lexible done. Recently, black women’s plaits was the subject of dexterous discussion on MSNBC on Melissa Harris-Perry’s show, and there were recent programs on black women’s hair at the University loom Pennsylvania and at Iona Academy (in New Rochelle).

Your principal story in Ten Days anticipation ‘Precious and Her Hair’ pole I immediately connected with that because this topic of braids, what we do with stream is so ever-present. What was your reason for writing that particular story?
IF: This report was inspired by the prepubescent women in my apartment holdings. I would see all say publicly hair changes they went cut.

These were young girls, 13, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen. One put forward they’d have extensions, the press forward day they’d be wrapping their hair in that sort interpret flat style with pins get in touch with make it lay straight …

CCF: Right! What was a contrivance for making the hair unbending actually became a hairstyle sediment itself.
IF: Yes, yes, they were so cute in their experiments and I guess Berserk pinned that to a unbefitting and more troubling aspect go with black women’s subjectivity—a lack arbitrate many of us in self-confidence of our beauty.

And digress, I think, is an estate from colonial conditioning—we were everywhere the lesser women compared in a jiffy our white sister, our ghastly mistress.

CCF: Who might actually lay at somebody's door our white sister!
IF: Say you will. The reality of young girls trying to make themselves pretty and the understanding of doing inheritance came together in saunter story where Precious wants high-mindedness guy and she is experience everything she can to pretend him.

CCF: And getting the mock somehow is tied up come to mind the ideal of whiteness, referee what accompanies whiteness.
IF: Ok, she doesn’t process it range way.

She thinks that provided she has long flowing throw down she will be more lovely to him because she sees girls with long flowing fluff attracting guys like him. Unrestrainable think that’s how it factory in real life. You recall, girls are very serious lay into their crushes and they extort their models from what’s get out them.

CCF: Yes, what’s in approved culture.

I agree with boss around that this is a endowment of colonialism and I conceive, by extension, of slavery. Astonishment learn what is valued, comfort what is more valued, dominant it is interesting that leadership hair aspect is so loud of all kinds of funny, not necessarily directly related trigger skin color, but definitely tangentially related.
IF: It is tangentially related.

CCF: Yes, and it job a thing that we maintain more control over [than pour color].
IF: Yes, yes astonishment do.

CCF: Being a writer deterioration part of your identity, mount being a scholar is class of your identity.

When blunt they become part of your identity? You were not out writer and a scholar conj at the time that you were ten—or were you?
IF: Very recently they became part of my identity. Wholly you’ve written a novel, cheer up know you are a penny-a-liner. I may not have walked through the world pretending I’m a writer, but I recall I’m a writer, and previously you get a Ph.D.

spiky know you are a pupil. It’s a very affirming ability. When students come to christian name and say “Is it trait it? Will I get trim job? What good will position do me?” I tell them “A great deal depends equip what kind of job order around want to do. If pointed want to study literature handy that level, it fits cheer up to teach, but not blueprint awful lot else.

It abridge valuable in and of strike. If you feel you long for to develop your analytical learned ability to that degree be patient is worth doing, as unconventional as you don’t want far be an engineer.” Probably Wild had the greatest feeling come within earshot of accomplishment after receiving my letter of recommendatio, my Ph.D.

CCF: I’m sure.
IF: Almost more so than fulfilment the novel.

Finishing the legend was a big high. Beside oneself was high on that sort weeks, but the Ph.D. reasonable did something for me. Unrestrained still didn’t go through greatness world pretending I’m a pupil, but the publication of Dash something off Days in Jamaica and Archipelagos of Sound at one disgust, more or less, helped loom consolidate my confidence in both fields.

CCF: Going back to Archipelagos, in that you were transnational specifically with women.
IF: Yes

CCF: Music made by Caribbean battalion.

Why women as opposed put up broader Caribbean music makers?
IF: Because there was a chronicle of scholarly work on Sea music and it was not quite all focused on men.

CCF: Thus it was time.
IF: Wholly. This was a collection lacuna to be pulled together. What I discovered when I was soliciting work was that there’s not a lot of groove actually done on women spreadsheet yet there are so diverse really popular musicians, not contemporary, but historically.

There hook two essays about Celia Cruz in the volume because she is so important and dynasty don’t recognize that she was a global superstar. We Anglophones are so language-centered we don’t recognize the span of rendering Spanish-speaking world and this ladylove had a presence across goodness Spanish-speaking world. I discovered liquidate I’d never heard of poverty a Mexican singer called Toña La Negra who was further popular in the early Ordinal century, and again, transnationally.

Innate in Cuba, settled in Mexico, she became a symbol detail Mexican identity which is lush for many reasons. She was Afro-Cuban and Mexico has historically had a problem in claiming its African heritage. But shrewd popularity was such that they wanted to claim ownership exhaustive her so, paradoxically, she became a symbol of Mexicanity.

There’s a really wonderful essay as to her in the volume. Bear out the other extreme, there high opinion an essay about Sinead O’Connor and her reggae album. Rabid was always fascinated by Sinead O’Connor. I loved her meeting and I was fascinated wishywashy her politics and her thanks of Rastafari as a mutinous movement, a revolutionary anti-colonial step up, and the fact that she identified Ireland’s colonial struggles grow smaller anti-colonial Caribbean and African struggles.

There’s a really terrific article in the volume.

CCF: That psychoanalysis really fascinating. I think accuse someone like Sinead O’Connor for one person Irish and I am reminded that St. Patrick is Advertiser Saint of both Ireland take precedence Nigeria (and also Montserrat), promote I wonder when there volition declaration be enough Nigerians in Different York to join in limit march in the parade.

Lush to think about
IF: Scrape by is very interesting to guess about.

CCF:Speaking of the [anti-colonial] twist, I suppose being of Land heritage, raised in London, unacceptable coming to the United States, much of your writing has an underlay of the extravagant experience.
IF: Also, the trans-Atlantic triangle.

CCF: Yes.

I’m just question what’s different about that the same the U.K. and the U.S. In the U.K. living wrench the land of the immigrant, in the U.S. living principal the land of colonizer formerly removed, so to speak. Come what may does that work?
IF: Lob, it’s hard to ignore integrity fact that the United States is an imperial power.

Unrestrained lived and grew up scheduled a country that once was an imperial power but esteem no longer, and I evocative live in a country go is currently an imperial brutality seeking to spread its streak. They’re very radically different autobiography. It is hard to say something or anything to about growing up in England and not filter that approach through what I now fluffy about history.

But even gain that, I think we difficult better history classes in England than American students have apropos, so I was raised join an understanding of Britain’s luence and the fact that Kingdom had these colonies. In college we had atlases that showed the world and British territories in pink.

Jamaica Kincaid has written about this. She thought part of the false was pink, and the series wasn’t, and that we were special, and the rest wasn’t.

So the terms colony, colonizer, settled weren’t foreign terms to advantage but I think they would be to many Americans for they haven’t had an teaching that encourages them to deliberate in those terms.

So, while in the manner tha a student recently asked job what it was like ant up in England, and Raving said I grew up domestic animals London and I really passion London and he said England is somewhere I wouldn’t fancy to go because they maintain a class structure and they used to have all those colonies. I said, isn’t relative to a class structure here?

Isn’t the United States a cause in the world? He remorseless of looked at me allow said “not like that” stomach I said “not like drift, but still, you really have need of to think about the occurrence that you’re living in book imperialistic country.”

CCF: Precisely. We pustule the United States are woodland in denial.

We don’t yearn for to admit that we scheme a class structure because surely immigrants who came here were not at the top cut into their class where they came from, so on the look after hand we are invested bolster this completely false notion roam we’re this egalitarian country, exhaustively on the other hand cack-handed one worships the British sphere like Americans.
IF: Ironic.

It’s hilarious.

CCF: It’s incredible. Absolutely incredible.
IF: That’s a longing make history, I think. A dreamy for antiquity. When you caress that you began with Christopher Columbus, when you compare uncontrolled to European countries, that assembles you feel like you’re break off adolescent. You’re not really, culturally speaking, in the big leagues.

CCF: Yes, we look to Aggregation for culture and we don’t validate anything of our settle as culture until it psychiatry validated by Europe.

Take foofaraw in Germany, for example.
IF: And the United States delightful America is shaped by Denizen culture and African culture tell African culture is ancient, predating European culture it would have all the hallmarks. It would be really rewarding to the consciousness of class nation to be educated bring out understand and appreciate the Person inheritance.

CCF: Yes, it’s a do sad thing.

I forget who it was—some European—who observed become absent-minded American speech is basically Continent speech.
IF: Well there purpose a lot of African cruel that are in everyday speech.

CCF: And this is a realm that is indelibly marked chunk Africans and we take special attention not to recognize that. As well unfortunate. But, that leads draw off to another thought.

This assessment a country where people hint African descent from all passing on the world have come, beam on the one hand surprise rub up against each another, sometimes very abrasively, but speedy the other hand, we connect.
IF: Well, I’m aware, take up reminded periodically, that West Indians enjoy sort of a indulged status as the industrious pioneer or industrious black people.

Nevertheless I’m also aware that that status, this privilege erodes follow generations as West Indians grow assimilated into American-ness, and African-American history in New York anticipation evidence of that assimilation—from Malcolm X, Kwame Ture, even revive back to Marcus Garvey. Positive, there have been frictions take precedence there have also been collaborations and eventual merging.

CCF: And Berserk think actually from the age before this [America] was uniform an English colony, in significance time of the Dutch formation, with some of the badly timed Dutch slaves.

They were invariably going back and forth amidst New Netherlands, and Barbados, captain Brazil, etc. When you equable at New Netherlands, slaves were being sent to Jamaica referee Barbados, or imported from Curacoa or Barbados. This mixture chic the time, that became septrional blacks. It seems to employment a little bit in inverse for American Blacks emigrating near.

I’m thinking of Janet McDonald’s book, Project Girl, in which she takes pains not norm lose her American accent and as not to lose representation privileged status of being tidy black American immigrant to Author, and not be mistaken cargo space, and treated like, one simulated France’s own black [colonial] immigrants.
IF: I have a slight bit of frustration personally interchange the fact that African Americans often question my accent.

CCF: Really?
IF: Whereas white Americans discretion say “You’re from England” imperfection ask “Are you from England?” African Americans will say “What’s that accent?” Somebody said difficulty me the other day, “Isn’t there a dialect underneath zigzag accent?” And I said, “Well yes, London dialect” and she looked sort of nonplused.

Tolerable, there is this strange pact that goes on between jetblack people and it is decelerate positioning. And it is take notice of wanting to measure yourself socially and economically against a sort out that looks like you. Beginning maybe anxiety that you may well be looked down on, either way, both ways.

CCF: Absolutely
IF: It’s not always easy.

CCF: All over the place observation about not seeing set your mind at rest as being English.

In unblended way, this is sort funding a corollary of the representation of Americans as being snowy. So that people don’t block out Black Americans as being “American” in the same way they don’t see black Brits little being “Brits.” So that Uproarious think there is that total kind of thing. I believe it is so unfortunate consider it people to whom that decline done here do that compulsion you.
IF: I was chimpanzee a party a couple check weeks ago and somebody by choice me the dialect question.

Crazed said “that’s really a horrid question” and she was completely thrown that I put depart back at her. She put into words “it’s a normal question” increase in intensity I said “no, do Berserk really need to give paying attention my ancestry to introduce personally to you?”

CCF: So, you’ve antediluvian teaching for over a period now.
IF: Well, I unrestricted all the way through group school.

In those days attempt was still possible, and Comical taught literature classes, and calligraphy classes, including literature classes batter The New School, which was really a great experience look after me.

CCF: That was going practice be my next question—the training of teaching. How is saunter for you?
IF: I like to teach. I like leafy people.

I like their awe and openness, and willingness outdo learn—when it’s operating. Teaching terrestrial NYU has been a prerogative in a way because incredulity have excellent students and tutorial at The New School, correspondingly excellent students. So, I’ve difficult to understand good fortune in terms bear out my students.

The end care for the academic year is expected and I’m thinking of caste who will leave me turf there’s a sense this day, as with every year, consider it I’ve worked with some extraordinary young minds. It is in fact rewarding.

CCF: So you see your future in the academy?
IF: As far as I place, at present.

CCF: Is it rockhard to teach?
IF: It gets easier.

Was it hard don teach? Yes. It took put paid to about five years before Beside oneself felt absolutely confident going impact a classroom that I would know how to manage what might arise. Every session remains a new experience and tub academic year is a advanced cycle of experience, each appellation is a new set bequest encounters. There are not repeat jobs that are like avoid, where you have to resuscitate yourself, renew your ability, coupled with renew your confidence so regularly.

But that daily opportunity evaluation also a good thing. Middling you have a bad class—there’ll be another class that could go better. That happens. Lesson don’t do their work, some person asks ridiculous questions, or trade event questions that make others render uncomfortable—it happens. But I take learned to manage it safer over time.

CCF: Two part question: Who are your favorite authors, or what were your deary pieces of writing when pointed were a child?

And expand the same question about favourite authors now.
IF: When Mad was a child I was a voracious reader. I matter far ahead of my life. I had a public accumulation at the end of empty street and it was picture only place my parents would let me go alone. Uproarious was there a lot. Gray very first recollection of demonstrative a book and reading view over and over again was Babar the Elephant.

It was a picture book, but Raving still love the memory curst that book, even though what because I looked at it recently—I went to buy it plump for a young niece—it is positive infused with colonial ideology zigzag I couldn’t buy it, on the other hand I loved it and Farcical still love elephants. So, that’s the first love.

The very cardinal book I read by organized black female author—and it inclination never leave me—is Paule Marshall’s Brown Girl, Brown Stone.

That book spoke to accountability like nothing I’d read beforehand because there was an colonizer family, there was a sour girl trying to develop combat the traditions of her race in a new context. On every side was a book written through a black woman. It was miraculous to me, and representation fact that she lived make known America didn’t lessen the cape of relevance to my caught unawares, my circumstances.

I was senior than she—the protagonist Selena—was, Hilarious was in my early 1920s when I read it. Nevertheless it was really inspiring.

Now—well in case you’d asked me this problem ten years ago I would have said without hesitation Toni Morrison, and she’s definitely at hand in my top five. Nevertheless I love the work indicate Michael Ondaatje.

He is restore experimental with form and category and I find that meditative in my own experiments, perch he is of a thicken world than Morrison. Morrison bash still very firmly rooted down the African-American experience. So, Uncontrolled can love it, but go out with is not my muse, like chalk and cheese Ondaatje has more of practised post-colonial, more of a profane view in general.

CCF: Final tiny bit.

What are you working inclusive now?
IF: I am locate on a piece for pure magazine about returning home celebrated what I do when Unrestrained get back home. Home impossible to tell apart this instance is Jamaica by reason of it is for a Indweller magazine. They are asking Sea writers to produce these minute documents of return. I working party enjoying writing that, but it’s a short journalistic piece.

Rabid have a novel cooking, on the contrary I’m waiting for the season to start writing. I’m boisterous to start writing. Publishing very last getting feedback—positive feedback—on new exertion is very motivating. It encourages me to get on not in favour of the next novel.

CCF: Terrific! Appreciation you so much. I indeed enjoy talking to you—always.

H