"I've Got Moxie's Disease! — Fast Verbal Comebacks — from taxi1010.com"

 

(1.) To choose from a variety of appropriate responses to taunts, verbal abuse, and insults, click any red code word.

(2.) To return, click the same code word again!

 
 

The last page of

The Turmeric Book


 

I'm only laughing 'cause you're my boss.

 

You've been late three times in the last five days.

 

I don't pay you for that.

 
 

I'm asking you as a friend. [To help him cheat]

 

You're not telling me the truth.

 
 

Who cares?

 

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

Are you still on drugs?

 

[Strip-o-gram at the office]

 

Fuck you!

 

What are you looking at?

 
 

I do whatever the voices in my head tell me to do.

 

The people who work there don't like it if you call it an alley.

 
 

God bless you.

 

Trailer trash comes to mind.

 

Why did you ask me where I'm from?

 

Everything you're saying is a dodge.

 

This is a private meeting.

 

What's your excuse?

 
 

No, Sir! But I notice your eyes are glazed – Have you been eating donuts?

 

That's what I was going to say before I was interrupted.

 
 

[People screaming in a foreign language]

 

Oh, she had a little blonde moment.

 

Can't you read?

 

Good!

 

Great!

 

It's such a nice day. [Sarcastically]

 
 

What he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed.

 

[Everyone mischievously laughing when you enter the room]

 
 

Shit happens.

 

LADIES! [Men's team]

 

Just kidding!

 

How are you folks doing? Okay?

 

I don't think that's very funny.

 

Does that sound funny to you, Officer?

 
 

Date me! [From a thirteen-year-old girl]

 

Why don't you take Kathy Jo, here — She'd love to go?

 
 

And how far along would you say is that process?

 

Have a better day.

 

That's surprising, coming from a cop.

 

 

I think there is such a thing as justifiable attacks.

 

I would expect you to know how to take people where they're going.

 
 
 

You're an oreo! — Black on the outside, white on the inside.

 

It's a thin line between love and hate.

 
 

BACK ...

Copyright © 2001-2012 Richard Ames Hart and Amoret Phillips

 

Moxie's
Disease

• All troubles begin with a single sentence

• Go back to the source and defend yourself with spirit, courage, skill, and know-how — with Moxie's Disease!

 

• Contains 88 cards

• Each has an attack, a hint for defending yourself, and on the reverse side, a variety of two-word ripostes to nourish emotional intelligence.

• "You've Got a Life — Now Defend It!"

www.taxi1010.com

 

I'm asking you as a friend. [To help him cheat]

[Hint: They're taking you down a primrose path, that seems easy and appropriate enough, until you get to the can of worms!]

 

1.

Like crazy!
Totally different.
At best.
MANY TIMES!

—Like crazy!
—The real cheat is to pretend you're stupid.

 

[People screaming in a foreign language]

[Hint: They're withholding warmth or information, trying to make you feel jealous]

 

2.

No doubt.
Very enriching.
I guess.
Close enough.

—Very enriching.
—Hoping to right the wrongs of the world one day.

 

Are you still on drugs?

[Hint: They're trying to get you going by posing trick questions, or falsely complimenting you]

 

3.

Whoa! Threatening.
And everything!
As if.
Why bother?

—Why bother?
—Am I missing something?

 

You're not telling me the truth.

[Hint: When they're attacking your character, get angry!]

 

5.

Unheard of.
More you!
Be resourceful.
Keep going! ...

Keep going! ...
—Be specific.

 

Everything you're saying is a dodge.

[Hint: They're "above it all." The least you're putting yourself out, the more they'll respect you]

 

6.

Avoid entanglements.
Someone else.
You wonder.
Well said.

—Well said.
—And you don't even wonder why.

 

Great!

[Hint: When you allow someone to praise you, you're giving them the implicit right to criticize you]

 

14.

Nothing much.
Just about.
The distance.
Can't wait!

—Just about.
—Phenomenal.

 

Why don't you take Kathy Jo, here — She'd love to go?

[Hint: They're jumping the gun, trying to make you commit too soon]

 

16.

Pretty much.
Says who?
Different times.
Too early!

—Too early!
—Someone might.

 

I would expect you to know how to take people where they're going.

[Hint: Totally unprovoked, they're taking potshots at you]

 

21.

Don't volunteer!
We'll manage.
And more!
Very mysterious.

—We'll manage.
—If this wasn't hard, everyone would be rich.

 

Does that sound funny to you, Officer?

[Hint: They're drawing on class distinctions, or status]

 

28.

What's next?
Real old-fashioned.
Anytime, right?
In case.

—Real old-fashioned.
—Don't worry about this one.

 

Just kidding!

[Hint: While we're making good-faith gestures towards evolving solutions, they're bedeviling us]

 

29.

Since when?
A joke!
Nothing crucial.
Just so!

—A joke!
—It just goes to show you.

 

Why did you ask me where I'm from?

[Hint: They're trying to give you your "just deserts" – it's your comeuppance – What they say takes precedence over what you say]

 

32.

Not alone.
All around.
Do less.
It's unstoppable.

—Not alone.
—Just wondered.

 

Oh, she had a little blonde moment.

[Hint: They're embarrassing you by airing their dirty laundry, and subjecting you to their "unconscious slips"]

 

33.

And furthermore!
Just vicious.
Not anymore.
Even less.

—Just vicious.
—It's not that different from heaven.

 

LADIES! [Men's team]

[Hint: They're all baboons in a tree. Keep back a little. Lay low. In a world full of wolves, be wise as a serpent, and humble as a dove]

 

34.

Plenty!—Worse!
Smarten up!
That's impressive.
It's deeper.

—Smarten up!
—Real subtle.

 

Shit happens.

[Hint: The deceptive ingredients of Passive Aggression ... Ostracism, Feigned innocence, Wolf's clothing]

 

36.

Right!—Absolutely.
It's important!
They're separate.
Go slow!

—Go slow!
—You have to learn to take the good with the bad.

 

God bless you.

[Hint: They're trying to lay burdens on you - Why shouldn't a person learn as much as possible about sticking up for themselves?]

 

37.

Very nice.
Nothing urgent.
Either way.
Can't miss.

—Very nice.
—That's always reassuring.

 

What's your excuse?

[Hint: This is bait & switch - They goad you with something desirable, then flip you over to something less desirable]

 

38.

Saved again!
Violent enough.
Very serious.
It's overwhelming.

—Saved again!
—To catch fish.

 

That's what I was going to say before I was interrupted.

[Hint: Full of hot air, hype, and invincible ignorance, they're bragging about it! - They just have the one thing to say to you to make you feel like two cents]

 

40.

See that?
Very strict.
Not bad.
Big change!

—See that?
—Very intelligent.

 

Good!

[Hint: They're playing on our sense that others know better than we do]

 

42.

Even you?
Personal touch.
Above all!
Without trying!

—Personal touch.
—How good can a person be?

 

Who cares?

[Hint: They're baiting you — Everybody regresses a little bit when they're around friends]

 

44.

I'm sure.
Another triumph.
Spare me!
Never naïve.

Never naïve.
—Nothing is bad, really.

 

No, Sir! But I notice your eyes are glazed – Have you been eating donuts?

[Hint: They're trying to deconstruct or finesse you into a bleak and sour place (Can you see the hatred gases swirling in the sewer of their mind?)]

 

45.

It's shocking.
No wonder.
I hope.
Not many.

—No wonder.
—That's very possible.

 

How are you folks doing? Okay?

[Hint: They're harassing you. You don't have to say clever things to have a nice life. Do as little as possible]

 

47.

All set.
No sweat.
It's ludicrous!
We'll wait.

—All set.
—Sooner or later, huh?

 

I don't think that's very funny.

[Hint: They're expressing hostility — In the olden days, if you said certain things, they'd kill you. That's the world their grandparents came from]

 

50.

Anything missing?
Total waste.
Many more!
It's murder!

—Total waste.
—This is life's darkest moment.

 

I don't pay you for that.

[Hint: They're pushing your buttons - When you're around them, take your entire mind on a vacation]

 

51.

Clean slate!
Someone must.
Or else!
The reverse!

—Someone must.
—You're not big on details, are you?

 

You've been late three times in the last five days.

[Hint: They're assuming too much - Like in the movie, The Sixth Sense, they just see what they want to see]

 

52.

Within reach!
It's ridiculous.
I'm easy.
Missed out.

—It's ridiculous.
—Being punctual is important.

 

[Everyone mischievously laughing when you enter the room]

[Hint: They're using exaggeration or hyperbole to provoke or intimidate you — If you're not attacking yourself, no one else can]

 

53.

Wild, huh?
Just normal.
Must you?
Or worse!

—Wild, huh?
—Just in time!

 

This is a private meeting.

[Hint: They use convoluted logic or tell lies to get your attention — Then they tell you what's really on their mind. They like to push people around]

 

55.

Certainly not.
That's all?
And? Rats!
Can't imagine.

—And? Rats!
—A big powwow.
Hatching another plot.

 

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

[Hint: They're asking a rhetorical question, or expressing an idea without much warmth - to create a puffed-up effect]

 

57.

No shit!
There's hope.
I'm waiting.
But why?

—There's hope.
—Bubble universes.

 

I'm only laughing 'cause you're my boss.

[Hint: They switch from acting like their mother to acting like their father at the drop of a hat, to keep you under their thumb]

 

59.

Very funny.
Way ahead.
Much better!
YOU SHOULDN'T!

—YOU SHOULDN'T!
—Except on rare occasions.

 

Date me! [From a thirteen-year-old girl]

[Hint: They're trying to provoke you into shocking yourself — It's called "tight corners"]

 

60.

Yeah, sure.
God knows!
Out working!
It's evolving.

—God knows!
—Next time you come to work drunk I'm going to tell your father.

 

It's such a nice day. [Sarcastically]

[Hint: They're trying to deflate you, or ruin your fun with false acceptance]

 

62.

Screwy, huh?
Thank goodness!
Different things.
I've heard.

—Screwy, huh?
—It still is.

 

The people who work there don't like it if you call it an alley.

[Hint: Usually when you feel uncomfortable, there's a reason - Someone wants you to - They're crazy!]

 

64.

Probably—Something.
Go on!
Oh, yeah!
Wild moments.

Go on!
—The truth comes out.

 

Trailer trash comes to mind.

[Hint: They're always trying to influence you]

 

65.

Maybe better!
Totally unexpected.
Everything changes.
Without stopping.

—Everything changes.
—There's no one else I can impress.

 

I think there is such a thing as justifiable attacks.

[Hint: They're analyzing]

 

66.

Holy Cow!
Think so?
Very clever.
Don't tell!

—Think so?
—How did I know you were going to say that?

 

Can't you read?

[Hint: They're totally blind to a lot of things, including warmth, kindness, or any kind of inner life]

 

67.

NOTHING LESS!
Who cares?
Not so!
TOO BAD!

—NOTHING LESS!
—What's wrong with this picture?

 

What he lacks in size, he makes up for in speed.

[Hint: They're throwing things at you in passing — It's literally hit-and-run — Notice that they need your attention for some reason]

 

68.

Oh, boy!
Cheap thrills.
The opposite.
Control yourself!

—Cheap thrills.
—Like flies.

 

Have a better day.

[Hint: They're being lenient towards themselves, and disciplinarians towards everyone else]

 

69.

You're safe.
BACK OFF!
On schedule.
Nothing better.

—Nothing better.
—When you're in something, you're in the middle of it.

 

It's a thin line between love and hate.

[Hint: They're picking on you – To get along with someone, there's a little give-and-take, but a lot less than most people think]

 

71.

Little challenges.
Forget it!
How delicate.
Wise up!

—How delicate.
—Not if you're in the tank corps.

 

You're an oreo! — Black on the outside, white on the inside.

[Hint: They're trying to punish you — People are constantly demoting other people to office boy]

 

73.

Until recently.
Maybe—Both!
Why not?
How amusing.

—How amusing.
—Everyone's the same — the Irish, the Jews.

 

Fuck you!

[Hint: They're expressing themselves through self-centered wantonness and narcissism]

 

74.

Networking, eh?
Let go!
Forget that!
BOW WOW.

—BOW WOW.
—Keep it in the family.

 

[Strip-o-gram at the office]

[Hint: It's show-biz: They give bad advice - to ruin people. Stick up for yourself — No one else will]

 

75.

Bad timing.
Many things!
You sure?
Crazy, huh?

—Bad timing.
—Can you point out the person who paid for this?

 

And how far along would you say is that process?

[Hint: They're trying to humiliate you — Any attempt to force natural or intellectual pursuits is essentially nonproductive]

 

76.

Very awkward.
Even now.
What's different?
Going up!

—What's different?
—Let things develop.

 

I do whatever the voices in my head tell me to do.

[Hint: If you try to feel frightened, then you really won't feel frightened. That's what strength is, someone who can feel frightened]

 

83.

Heavy duty.
Never perfect.
No violence!
Just brutal.

Never perfect.
—Just follow the bouncing ball!

 

What are you looking at?

[Hint: They're trying to undermine you - These attacks come from out of the blue, usually by very frustrated people]

 

87.

After all!
Just beginning.
I've arrived!
Everything's changing.

—After all!
—You're in good company.

 

That's surprising, coming from a cop.

[Hint: Doing everything to avoid a Sore Subject, they're forcefully preoccupied with something else, making them seem convincing]

 

88.

No trouble.
It's treachery.
Nothing more.
If not ...

—If not ...
—This isn't the Spanish Inquisition.

 

The other 44 cards

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