Network Silence

Rob: It sucks.

You can see the current (2020) list of slave-free chocolate companies on their website at http://www.slavefreechocolate.org/ethical-chocolate-companies, or below if you don’t click links:

Aloha Feels Chocolate  

Alma Chocolate            

Alter Eco Chocolate

Amano Chocolate        

Askinoise Chocolate    

The Beach Chocolate Factory

Belicious                        

Black Mountain Chocolate

Cacaoteca

Cacao Medium

Caribeans Chocolate

Castronovo Chocolate      

Choquiero Chocolate      

ChoCoaque Chocolates

Chocolate and Love

Chocolate Cartel              

Chocolat Celeste

Chocolate Tree  

Chocolate Troubadour      

Choconat        

COCO Chocolate    

Compartes Chocolates      

Dandelion Chocolate        

Dark Forest Chocolate      

Denman Island Chocolate

Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate  

Diego’s Chocolate              

Divine Chocolate Co.        

Eating Evolved                  

Eat Your Hat        

Eclipse Chocolate                

El Ceibo                            

The Endangered Species    

Endorfin Foods                  

Enliven Cocoa                    

ENNA Chocolate                

Equal Exchange                  

Fairafric            

Fine and Raw Chocolate    

Fire Fly Chocolate                  

Forever Cocoa          

Fresco Chocolate            

Fruition Chocolate          

Gayleen’s Decadence    

GEPA Chocolate          

Giddy Yo Yo                  

Grenada Chocolate Company  

Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate

Guittard                            

Habitual Chocolate    

Hilo Shark Chocolate    

HNINA Gourmet            

Hogarth Chocolate  

Honest  Chocolate  

Hooray  Tuffles        

Indi Chocolate      

L.A. Burdick Chocolates

La Iguana Chocolate  

La Siembra Cooperative  

Lillie Belle Farms          

Madecasse                

Maverick Chocolate Company

Mayan Monkey    

Mayordomo        

Mexican Arabica Bean Company-Wholesale            

Mia Chocolate        

Montezuma’s Chocolates  

Nayah Amazon Chocolates  

Neary Nógs              

Newman’s Own Organics  

PARRÉ Chocolat          

Pasha Chocolate        

Purdy’s Chocolate      

Omanahene Cocoa Bean Company

Ombar                        

OpuLux Fair Trade Chocolate

Original Hawaiian Chocolate

Parliament Chocolate            

Montevérgine                

Patric Chocolate                

Plamil Organic Chocolate  

Potomac Chocolate            

Pure Lovin’ Chocolate        

Raaka Chocolate                  

Rain Republic                  

Rapunzel Pure Organics  

Ritual Chocolate              

River Seas Chocolate      

Samaritan Xocolata      

Sappho Chocolates            

Seed & Bean Chocolate        

Shaman Chocolates            

Sibú Chocolate            

Solkiki Chocolate         

 Sweet Impact Chocolate    

Taza Chocolate                  

Terra Nostra Organic        

Terroir Chocolate                

TCHO                                

The Xocolate Bar                

Theo Chocolate                  

The Original Chocolate Bar

Tobago Estate Chocolate  

TONY’S CHOCOLONELY 

Truffle Pig Chocolates    

Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate

Valrhona Chocolate

Videri Chocolate Factory

Viva Cacao   Can

Vivani Chocolate        

Vosges                      

Wei of Chocolate      

Xocolatl Chocolate  

Zaks Chocolate        

Zotter   

Nestle’s net worth as of today is 10.46 BILLION dollars.

The largest, most prosperous of these slave-free chocolate companies (Vosges, which is also a female-owned corp if that matters to you!) is worth… $100 million.

That means that Nestle has $10,360,000,000 more dollars with which to pay its employees, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY the cacao farmers who are the backbone of their entire industry.

Oh my god, Dani! May Queen!

Are you hydrated? 

If not, have a glass of water. Dehydration can mimic or increase feelings associated with anxiety and a well hydrated brain functions optimally. Avoid excess caffeine. 

Have you eaten in the past three hours? 

Don’t be a victim of hanger! Get some food–something with protein, not just simple carbs or high-fat. Nuts, hummus, and veggies are great options to feed your studying brain. Keep healthy snacks within reach to avoid mindlessly chowing down on sweets. 

Have you stretched your legs in the past day? 

If not, do so right now. If you don’t have the energy or time for a run or a trip to the gym, just walk around the block or building. Even minimal exercise preps the mind for learning so that you can focus better and recall things easier, plus it’s good to get a change of scenery. 

Have you said something nice to someone in the past day? 

Do so, whether online or in person. Make it genuine! We bet your study partner would appreciate a compliment. 

Have you moved your body to music in the past day?

If not, jog for the length of a song at your favorite tempo, or just dance around your bedroom for the length of an upbeat song (singing along is a bonus) 

Have you cuddled a living being in the past two days?

If not, do so. Don’t be afraid to ask for hugs from friends of friends’ pets. Most of them will enjoy the cuddles too; you’re not imposing. 

Have you started or changed any medications in the past couple of weeks, including skipped doses or a change in generic prescription brand? 

That may be screwing with your head. Give things a few days, then talk to your doctor if it doesn’t settle down. 

If daytime: are you dressed? 

If no, put on clean clothes that aren’t PJs. Give yourself permission to wear something special, whether it’s a funny t-shirt or a pretty dress. 

If nighttime: are you sleepy and fatigued but resisting going to sleep? 

Put on PJs, make yourself cozy in bed with a teddy bear and the sound of falling rain, and close your eyes for fifteen minutes while focusing on breathing deeper with every breath- no electronic screens allowed! Adequate sleep is a necessity for stress management. 

Do you feel ineffective? 

Pause right now and get something small completed, whether it’s responding to an email, loading the dishwasher, or tidying up your room. Good job!

Do you feel unattractive? 

Take a darn selfie. Your friends will remind you how great you look. You are always insta-worthy. 

Do you feel paralyzed by indecision?

Give yourself ten minutes to sit back and figure out a game plan for the day. If a particular decision or problem is still being a roadblock, simply set it aside for now, and pick something else that seems doable. Right now, the important part is to break through that stasis, even if it means doing something trivial. 

Have you over-exerted yourself lately–physically, emotionally, socially, or intellectually? 

That can take a toll that lingers for days. Give yourself a break in that area, whether it’s physical rest, taking some time alone, or relaxing with some silly entertainment for a little. Time spent refreshing yourself is never time “wasted!” 

Have you waited a week? 

Sometimes or perception of life is skewed, and we can’t even tell that we’re not thinking clearly, and there’s no obvious external cause. It happens. Keep yourself going for a full week, whatever it takes, and see if you still feel the same way then. 

me: look at the moon!

me: look at that cloud!

me: look at the sunset!

me: look at that tree!

me: look at those flowers!

Steve saying: "Can I talk to my friend...out there?"