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

Sucker!

[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.

—Totally destroyed.
—And there'll be a present for you ... after the program.

If what you have to say can't improve the silence, please say nothing at all.

[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.

—Just imagine.
—This is not an Indian burial ground.

Sounds like a plan.

[Hint: They're giving you solicitous approval]

8.

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

—Must be.
—To a point.

You made your bed — Now lie in it.

[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.

—Mostly that.
—You made your bed — It doesn't matter how long it takes to fill it.

If you don't mind my asking, how much do you make in a year from a taxi medallion?

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

10.

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

—Don't worry.
—It all depends how angry you are.

What is that smell?

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

11.

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

—Very common.
—One ugly thing after another.

Now you've contradicted yourself three times.

[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!

—It's insane.
—Or someone.

Want some advice?

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

13.

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

—No worse!
—Anyone can listen.

One of these days you're going to go straight to hell.

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

15.

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

—Without washing.
—Next to the railroad station.

You touched my car – I don't like anyone touching my car.

[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!

—THINGS CHANGE!
—They're going to make big cars again.

I don't go out with boys.

[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.

—Apparently not.
—They take your life away, don't they?

Older than dirt!

[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.

—Very advanced.
—The people who try to be good always get into trouble.

You're big on children, right?

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

20.

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

—It's better.
—Donald Duck's sister – What a wit! – That's all I know.

Up yours!

[Hint: They're trying to intimidate you]

22.

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

—How come?
—To be with the rest of your kind.

Honk if you have a small penis! [From a passing bicyclist]

[Hint: They're trying to characterize you]

23.

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

—EVERY TIME!
—That's easy for YOU to say!

Can I ask you another question?

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

24.

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

—Really scary!
—Another one?

Service has really suffered because of all these immigrants.

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

25.

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

—Pretty intense.
—Many, many people are rotten apples.

That was a really nice response – It was so natural.

[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.

—Any one.
—They're not scripted.

Yo, baby, I want to drink your bath water!

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

27.

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

—Sure, Jack!
—Do they deliver?

Tell them the other part of that story.

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

30.

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

—Totally demanding.
—You can stop kidding around, right?

Are you calling me a liar?

[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.

—Really tough.
—The answer's, no!

Could you give me a copy of your DreamWeaver software?

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

35.

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

—Not today.
—We can't – It's too hard at this time.

I just think people should think for themselves.

[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.

—Great timing!
—Why can't people help each other?

He's still a Mama's boy!

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

41.

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

—Be serious.
—Would it do any good?

What are you reading?

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

43.

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

—Too soon.
—It's a mystery.

[The silent treatment]

[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.

—More so!
—Do I look like an alien to you? ... I meant it as a joke!

Thanks for nothing!

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

48.

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

—I'll live.
—I won't worry.

So why were you late?

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

49.

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

—Very standard.
—I'm a work in progress.

I'll take care of you; you take care of me.

[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.

—How's that?
—If you don't want a dollar, you can give it to a child.

There's a lot of money in there. [Your recipe]

[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.

—Pretty wicked.
—Why should everything have to be easy?

Let's stick to the facts here.

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

58.

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

—Wicked, huh?
—YOU could! ... Don't rush.

Good-bye, asshole. Asshole. [Presuming you were the one who had been impatiently honking the horn]

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

61.

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

—Hey!
—You got the wrong guy!

How do you defend yourself with words?

[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.

—What else?
—You have to take yourself out of it.

Bummer!

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

70.

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

—Even so.
—Life is strange, huh?

I don't know if I can trust you.

[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.

—Just don't!
—Life is a two-way street, as they say in Chicago.

Rebeka, don't you know how to knock?

[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.

—Very simple.
—I'm going to try it.

Did you come from a disadvantaged family, or were you born that way?

[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.

—It's inconceivable.
—Is that good or bad?

Pussy!

[Hint: They're trying to distract you]

79.

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

—God forbid!
—I think that's what you're missing.

I'm a businessman.

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

80.

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

—Just lucky!
—Look for the silver lining.

Hello, Steve, how's the hotshot investor these days?

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

81.

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

—Soul searching.
—It's just money.

Brother, keep the faith!

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

82.

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

—Be brave!
—As long as you're alive, you're doing all right.

You can start sucking my cock!

[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!

—THAT'S NOTHING!
—You bought a bad nightclub act for yourself.

Hominabie foramchi bogude wallawalla abadada! [From a passing street person, talking in tongues]

[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!

—Socially challenged.
—No nonsense!

Long time, no see.

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

86.

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

—Way back!
—I don't get around much — I like it here or at home.