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

[Someone about to mug you near an alleyway]

[Hint: Condescending people try to trick you, and laugh at you when you believe them]

4.

That's enough.
Sure, boss!
Very different.
Totally destroyed.

—Sure, boss!
—ICY FIRE! ICY FIRE! ICY FIRE!

How long have you been driving a taxicab?

[Hint: By blind-siding you, or characterizing you as weird or stupid, they're "poisoning the well of discourse"]

7.

Until now!
Small world.
Just imagine.
Could be.

—Until now!
—Let's go fishing!

You're so honest!

[Hint: They're giving you solicitous approval]

8.

That's life!
Must be.
Never stop.
Underneath everything.

—That's life!
—Now you know how George Washington got to be great.

Well, good luck!

[Hint: They're getting revenge — See how vicious and patronizing they are? — Say one thing and it sets them off]

9.

Mostly that.
Even better!
Never mind!
Very helpful.

—Very helpful.
—Was you ever in Cincinnati?

You're fired!

[Hint: 3rd Party Interference: They don't want people; they want dwarfs]

10.

Doesn't matter.
Anything else?
What's missing?
Don't worry.

—Anything else?
—Don't trust your relatives!

[Someone tailgating you at a high speed]

[Hint: They're using glib posturing to try to scare you]

11.

Fait accompli.
So foolish.
Very common.
Totally unhelpful.

—So foolish.
—There are a million ways a baby can react when they don't get milk.

Pervert!

[Hint: They think they are far, far, far superior. Resenting people who lorded over them, they're trying to pull rank on you]

12.

Thank you!
Something different.
It's insane.
Once again!

—Thank you!
—Like yourself!

Do you invest in the Internet?

[Hint: They're preoccupied with if's and when's]

13.

Good advice.
Not yet.
Share less!
No worse!

—Good advice.
—Why don't you do it yourself?

Don't let the bastards get you down.

[Hint: They're playing upon our reluctance to challenge famous or smooth-talking people]

15.

Without washing.
Sight unseen.
So far.
MY mistake.

—Sight unseen.
—Children have a way of curing people – if you're nice to them.

Is there a law against having the air-conditioning on in the city?

[Hint: They're acting perplexed, and trying to push people around by using indirection - You're supposed to "take a hint."]

17.

All right.
Not recently.
It's uncanny.
THINGS CHANGE!

—Not recently.
—Are you sure you wanted to say that?

Do you want some candy, little girl?

[Hint: This is called baiting, pure and simple — The best response is to stick to a little script]

18.

Apparently not.
Wide open!
Who, me?
It's chilling.

—Who, me?
—Just checking out.

Oh, my God! — That place is way too expensive.

[Hint: You may feel repulsion — Both love and hate are inside people, and it's best to be honest about that]

19.

So WHAT?
A natural.
Not forever.
Very advanced.

—So WHAT?
—Too bad freedom is not a family value.

Your hair looks grey.

[Hint: Stop trying to get other people to be more important than you are]

20.

BELIEVE me.
Beautiful, huh?
Beyond that.
It's better.

—Beautiful, huh?
—There's nothing wrong with that.

Another shitty day in paradise.

[Hint: They're trying to intimidate you]

22.

Who knows?
I wouldn't.
How come?
Nowhere near.

—Nowhere near.
—Two steps forward, one step back.

How did you land him? He doesn't look your type at all.

[Hint: They're trying to characterize you]

23.

Doesn't hurt.
Hardly ever.
Very articulate!
EVERY TIME!

—Hardly ever.
—Did I say you could breathe?

What's the matter with you?

[Hint: They have so much tension it makes them mean and cheap]

24.

Nothing yet.
Really scary!
Nothing drastic.
Very little.

—Nothing drastic.
—Being nice!

You've got great karma.

[Hint: They're trying to trick you into being smart ... so they can hate you!]

25.

Pretty intense.
Almost impossible.
Anything new?
Midnight Special.

—Midnight Special.
—It's funny how the harder you work, the luckier you get.

When are we going home?

[Hint: Sometimes you just get the idea the other person is trying to control you]

26.

It's perfect.
Any one.
Before long!
Secret knowledge.

—Before long!
—They have a good saying in Germany — "The cobbler should stick to the last!"

Honey, your mom sent me to pick you up.

[Hint: They're trying to coerce you, frequently pretending "It's an emergency"]

27.

Sure, Jack!
Hold it!
Just wait!
TOO HOT!

—Hold it!
—What's the password?

So who gets the tab? – Can you take care of it?

[Hint: They're trying to paint you into a weird box]

30.

Another miracle!
Yeah, Plenty!
Totally demanding.
Doesn't everyone?

—Doesn't everyone?
—If you're in a pinch.

Can I borrow some money?

[Hint: They're trying to hit you in the imagination when you're right in the middle of things]

31.

Really tough.
We can't.
Cheer up!
It's impossible.

—It's impossible.
—You caught me at a bad time.

So what's the weather going to be this weekend?

[Hint: They're like beggars asking for favors]

35.

Not today.
Big family!
Stick around!
Whatever helps.

—Stick around!
—They never know.

Do you feel okay? [Tilting their head]

[Hint: They're really making you work, taking off on surprising tangents — or maybe they're just trying to "scratch you" to see what you're made of]

39.

That's it.
Great timing!
What's up?
Savor everything.

—What's up?
—If you want to succeed in business, do nothing.

Hey, pretty girl! [From the bum on the corner]

[Hint: They're coming from their dark side (anger) and being vindictive]

41.

Be serious.
You're kidding!
Hang tough.
It's mutual.

—It's mutual.
—People aren't garbage!

It must be that time of month. [To a woman]

[Hint: They're trying to yank you in all directions]

43.

Oh, fine!
It's devastating.
You're strong.
Too soon.

—It's devastating.
—If it isn't, so what?

That's debatable.

[Hint: They're ignoring you; they haven't seen what you thought they might have seen]

46.

What then?
Be honest.
More so!
No rules.

—No rules.
—It's immense.

["Hey, Pat, it's Chris!"] (calling Pat on the telephone) Yeah.

[Hint: They're filled with resentment — You know they can't be happy]

48.

Or whatever.
For nothing!
I'll live.
Home free!

—Or whatever.
—At least someone has a little life in them.

Protecting your ass, huh?

[Hint: They're pestering you by ridiculing what isn't standard]

49.

Harsh. Indeed.
That soon?
Suffer a lot.
Very standard.

—Suffer a lot.
—A dull cog in the machinery of life.

By the way, we do think you should call your mother more often.

[Hint: With misdiagnosis or false accusations, and all you're doing is being yourself, they treat you like a psychopath ... then start offering prescriptions!]

54.

How's that?
Not even.
Someone might.
By moonlight.

—Someone might.
—Keep track of that.

YOU STUPID BITCH! YOU LIED TO ME!

[Hint: They're acting phony as a cover-up for feeling bad – It frequently comes across as criticism]

56.

Just unbelievable!
How embarrassing.
Pretty wicked.
No reason.

—Just unbelievable!
—How could you tell me that?

Are you from Japan? [To an Asian from Connecticut]

[Hint: They're trying to hijack your mind]

58.

Afraid not.
Wicked, huh?
For what?
Quite unnecessary.

—Afraid not.
—You know, you're hurting my feelings.

How are we going to use this in real life?

[Hint: Worse than simply complaining, they're denying they're complaining!]

61.

Hey! OUCH.
Unbelievable, huh?
Watch out!
All along.

—Unbelievable, huh?
—If you're not using yourself, someone else is.

Very cerebral.

[Hint: Their over-the-top expectations are really put-downs. This is a smoke screen. Maybe they feel unloved and invisible]

63.

What else?
By now.
Ask around.
Just some.

—By now.
—It's so hard.

Your hair smells like Chinese food.

[Hint: They're trying to intimidate you by pretending something is wrong with you]

70.

No telling.
Not long.
Besides that!
Even so.

—Not long.
—I'll change that soon.

I can do whatever the fuck I want!

[Hint: Spouting off rhetoric or blurting anything they've heard from someone else, they're fanning the flames or violating your trust]

72.

Just don't!
How exotic.
That thick.
From overseas.

—How exotic.
—We want you to make lots and lots of money!

I'd advise you to mind your manners – You're in the big water now.

[Hint: They're treating you or your life with disdain, expressing utter contempt for the path you have chosen]

77.

Oh, really?
Very simple.
Next time!
It's terrible.

—Oh, really?
—Now I think school is out.

What you said really frightened me.

[Hint: With stabs in the dark or wild assumptions, they're giving you the third degree, or putting you on the spot]

78.

It's inconceivable.
Really dark.
Nothing complicated.
It's magic.

—Really dark.
—What can I do to make you feel less frightened?

Will you quit staring at me, please?

[Hint: They're trying to distract you]

79.

At least.
It's criminal.
God forbid!
Too dangerous.

—Too dangerous.
—It's a sin.

I paid six thousand dollars for these seats – I don't have to put up with this.

[Hint: Try to see what they're concealing]

80.

Nothing special.
Very unique.
Just lucky!
Of course!

—Of course!
—Probably in five years it'll be foolproof.

Next time you decide to smoke a cigarette, you should consider standing over there. [Pointing to another part of the open outdoor patio]

[Hint: Watch out! They may be trying to ambush you]

81.

WORLD POWER!
Soul searching.
The alliance.
Loafing around!

—The alliance.
—If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.

How's your husband?

[Hint: They're using small talk to evaluate you, or your feelings]

82.

Nothing fancy.
Totally unspoiled.
Very elusive.
Be brave!

—Totally unspoiled.
—Suddenly sensitive.

Are you a candidate for sainthood? [From a well-dressed gentleman ambushing you at your car with an elaborate, swiftly changing story]

[Hint: Just because you gave them a little attention (on a whim) doesn't mean they can have all your time and attention]

84.

How discouraging.
Go figure.
Aw, shucks!
THAT'S NOTHING!

—Aw, shucks!
—Aaron T. Beck says, "There is more to the surface than meets the eye."

Son-of-a-BITCH! [From a pedestrian you almost ran over]

[Hint: If you can name something, you know what it is and can defend yourself - Here, they're using make-believe and pretension]

85.

All over.
Socially challenged.
I'll bet.
Many ways!

—Many ways!
—Who isn't?

[Someone talking directly to your breasts]

[Hint: They're evoking charged-up emotions with vague references and sly innuendo]

86.

Way back!
It's powerful.
That's changing.
Pretty amazing.

—That's changing.
—Not shrewd.