Liliana Vess (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
deathsmajesty) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2024-07-18 12:53 am
deathsmajesty) wrote in fandomhigh2024-07-18 12:53 am
Entry tags:
Treat Yourself, Thursday, Period 2
Today they had been instructed to meet at Portalocity where, with a single step, they were standing outside of a small restaurant named Urban Fondue. Inside, a large circular table was waiting for them, four empty trivets were clustered in the middle of the table over electric burners and an array of dippable ingredients on platters circled around them. In front of each place chair were several small plates, a normal set of silverware, and four long, thin fondue forks, as well as a wine glass, a regular beverage glass, and a teacup.
"Now, to indulge in something means to gratify a desire," Liliana said as everyone took their seats. "You can indulge in a love of coffee, a love of gardening, of fine clothing, of books, of a very deep bathtub. You can indulge in more metaphysical things; you can indulge your curiosity, you can indulge in frustration, in grief, in the first blush of romance. In short, because pleasure is limitless, so are the options for you to indulge in. Though indulgence often takes on a sense of decadence or extravagance, it certainly doesn't have to: for something to count as an indulgence, the only so-called 'rule' is that it must be undertaken purely for pleasure, even if it has other side effects. So when I luxuriate in my bathtub, I'm certainly getting clean, but the reason I'm doing that rather than taking a shower is because getting clean isn't the point - that's why I have a shower - the hour spent relaxing in hot water with bubbles and a glass of wine is. You may indulge in your gardening hobby with a large vegetable garden that feeds the neighborhood, but the reason you're out there is because you're enjoying the feel of rich earth between your fingers, the scent of growing things, and the pride of gazing over the thriving plants under your care. You might even enjoy the sensation of sore muscles afterwards, a sign of hard work. That is what separates an activity from indulging in the activity. Though the results may be the same, the motivations and feelings are not. You can also go back and forth between the two - some days I may take a bath because I'm too sore to stand and I need to wash up anyway, some days you may need to work in the garden simply because a garden requires work. Same activities, but neither are indulgences."
Servers came, carrying four different earthenware crocks, and set them over the burners. One contained brie and gorgonzola cheeses swirled together and topped with roasted hazelnuts, another traditional Swiss fondue finished with Willamatte Valley black truffles and house made oil, the third mozzarella cheese, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, drizzled balsamic, and the last had Ruby port fondue swirled with blueberries & a balsamic glaze. Several more servers brought over bottles of chilled white wines, a few pots of a fragrant herbal tea, and several bottles of apple and grape juice to leave around the table.
"Now, most of our classes will be centered around pampering the body externally - like next week, where we will be enjoying massages, though if you would rather not, please feel free to speak to me after class or during my office hours - we do have a few, like today, centered around pleasing your palate and your filling your stomach. Though we are indulging in very rich foods, it isn't a requirement. You can indulge a sweet tooth with a candy bar. If you're on a diet, you can indulge in a cheat day. If you're avoiding certain foods for your digestion, you can sneak a few bites here or there. Think of indulgence as the opposite of deprivation. Now, it is certainly possible to overindulge, which people often consider a synonym for self-indulgence. If you are indulging to the point of pain, or sickness, or if it impedes you from taking care of your responsibilities, affects your relationships, or prevents you from engaging in your normal activitities, you are overindulging. So, my darlings, settle in and indulge your appetites with this fondue, but be wary of overindulging, hmm?"
Which might be difficult, considering that dessert fondue will be brought out at the half-hour mark, offering up raspberry swirl, fresh fruit cheesecake, tiramisu, and bananas foster fondue options for everyone to enjoy but then...maybe a little overindulgence. As a treat.
"Now, to indulge in something means to gratify a desire," Liliana said as everyone took their seats. "You can indulge in a love of coffee, a love of gardening, of fine clothing, of books, of a very deep bathtub. You can indulge in more metaphysical things; you can indulge your curiosity, you can indulge in frustration, in grief, in the first blush of romance. In short, because pleasure is limitless, so are the options for you to indulge in. Though indulgence often takes on a sense of decadence or extravagance, it certainly doesn't have to: for something to count as an indulgence, the only so-called 'rule' is that it must be undertaken purely for pleasure, even if it has other side effects. So when I luxuriate in my bathtub, I'm certainly getting clean, but the reason I'm doing that rather than taking a shower is because getting clean isn't the point - that's why I have a shower - the hour spent relaxing in hot water with bubbles and a glass of wine is. You may indulge in your gardening hobby with a large vegetable garden that feeds the neighborhood, but the reason you're out there is because you're enjoying the feel of rich earth between your fingers, the scent of growing things, and the pride of gazing over the thriving plants under your care. You might even enjoy the sensation of sore muscles afterwards, a sign of hard work. That is what separates an activity from indulging in the activity. Though the results may be the same, the motivations and feelings are not. You can also go back and forth between the two - some days I may take a bath because I'm too sore to stand and I need to wash up anyway, some days you may need to work in the garden simply because a garden requires work. Same activities, but neither are indulgences."
Servers came, carrying four different earthenware crocks, and set them over the burners. One contained brie and gorgonzola cheeses swirled together and topped with roasted hazelnuts, another traditional Swiss fondue finished with Willamatte Valley black truffles and house made oil, the third mozzarella cheese, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, drizzled balsamic, and the last had Ruby port fondue swirled with blueberries & a balsamic glaze. Several more servers brought over bottles of chilled white wines, a few pots of a fragrant herbal tea, and several bottles of apple and grape juice to leave around the table.
"Now, most of our classes will be centered around pampering the body externally - like next week, where we will be enjoying massages, though if you would rather not, please feel free to speak to me after class or during my office hours - we do have a few, like today, centered around pleasing your palate and your filling your stomach. Though we are indulging in very rich foods, it isn't a requirement. You can indulge a sweet tooth with a candy bar. If you're on a diet, you can indulge in a cheat day. If you're avoiding certain foods for your digestion, you can sneak a few bites here or there. Think of indulgence as the opposite of deprivation. Now, it is certainly possible to overindulge, which people often consider a synonym for self-indulgence. If you are indulging to the point of pain, or sickness, or if it impedes you from taking care of your responsibilities, affects your relationships, or prevents you from engaging in your normal activitities, you are overindulging. So, my darlings, settle in and indulge your appetites with this fondue, but be wary of overindulging, hmm?"
Which might be difficult, considering that dessert fondue will be brought out at the half-hour mark, offering up raspberry swirl, fresh fruit cheesecake, tiramisu, and bananas foster fondue options for everyone to enjoy but then...maybe a little overindulgence. As a treat.
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
She shook her head. "Cal. Dear one. You have good reason to be afraid that everything will suddenly be taken from you. That starting to spread your leaves and unfurling your roots will just leave you hurting more when you're suddenly ripped up again. That doing anything more than single-mindedly trying to stop this war is a betrayal of everyone you've lost. That taking anything for yourself - even something as small as singing - is selfish. That asking anybody for anything will make you a burden and you're so tired of dragging others down. But Cal, you are neither a machine nor, I doubt, particularly suited for isolation. Let me guess. You love every animal you meet and there are pieces of junk that you're fond of and sometimes you feel bad for ugly or broken objects because you're worried no one will want them. Am I right?"
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
"I'm very tired of dragging others down," he admitted. "And of course I love animals. Have you seen the porgs? And turning things that look broken and fixing them into something better is just a good use of scrap."
Okay, maybe there was a little arguing.
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
"You miss understand me, dear," Liliana told him. "Those impulses? They're signs of empathy and a heart that very desperately wants to love, enough that it will latch onto whatever is closest if you deny it actual people. But you are afraid and so you allow yourself to love only what you consider safe. Junk, that you don't expect to keep and so cannot be upset to love. Animals, which you can never disappoint or feel like you're 'dragging down.' You feel like you're drowning, so of course you're afraid of dragging someone under with your thrashing. You probably feel like you already have, in your past. But I sincerely doubt your ability to see yourself clearly, Cal. And because of that, you can't see anyone else clearly either. And that is a shame. Because you do yourself - and them a disservice."
She went to put her hand on his and leaned in. "Pull your head out of your ass, darling, or you will let all the good things in life pass you by as you're too busy telling yourself you don't deserve them. Few people are truly meant for isolation and you are not one of them. You do know there is more than one way to break, yes?"
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
Re: Eat and Chat - Question 1
"But anyway, that is why you've been given homework," she said. "I'm instructing you to find some leisure activities. To do karaoke at Caritas - I've done it. Go out of your way to spend time with your friends, not doing anything constructive, just spend time together. Gaia, get drunk and make stupid decisions and get inadvisable tattoos or something. You're so busy living in yesterday's guilt and fear of tomorrow that you don't allow yourself to even attempt today's joys."
Abyss, what has the Multiverse come to that she, Liliana Vess, would be suggesting people 'find today's joys'? She was going to have to go home and kick a puppy for all this.