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

You guys are making wrong choices and you're telling lies.

[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!

—Totally different.
—You want to have a nice life, and I do, too!

You have six months to live.

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

2.

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

—I guess.
—I can do it in three!

[Finger wagging]

[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?

—Whoa! Threatening.
—Just keep it in mind!

Is that my notebook? I have one just like it.

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

5.

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

—Unheard of.
—Get out of there!

That's inappropriate.

[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.

—Avoid entanglements.
—It's funny who wants to get stuck on the farm and who doesn't.

What motivates you?

[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!

—Nothing much.
—Look into your own heart.

That's not like you.

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

16.

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

—Says who?
—Misspent youth.

Don't you know anything?

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

21.

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

—Don't volunteer!
—I'm afraid I'll mislead you.

I will never sleep with you – Not ever! – Ever!

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

28.

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

—What's next?
—My claim to fame.

You're toast!

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

29.

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

—Since when?
—I'm amazed you're not butter.

Those are my breasts.

[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.

—It's unstoppable.
—Where have I been? – I thought I had X-ray vision!

Do I look like a doorman?

[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.

—And furthermore!
—It may come from jogging.

What's happening, Nigger?

[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.

—Worse!
—I'm just Black on the outside — You're black on the inside.

Did you notice I'm wearing flowers?

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

36.

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

—Absolutely.
—Now especially.

Be good!

[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.

—Can't miss.
—What else is there to do?

Sorry about that.

[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.

—Very serious.
—It's part of village life.

Do what you want – I don't give a damn.

[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!

—Big change!
—I'm just a person.

Now be good.

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

42.

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

—Without trying!
—I'll have to look at my calendar.

It's clear – Run the red light!

[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.

—I'm sure.
—What do YOU have to lose?

Nice guy! [Sarcastically]

[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.

—It's shocking.
—More than you would imagine.

Maybe we could live without the wisecracks.

[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.

—We'll wait.
—It's much better to have something pleasant.

Drop dead.

[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.

Nobody's home.
Total waste.
Many more!
It's murder!

—Many more!
—Yeah, things like that.

You can't talk to me that way!

[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!

—Or else!
—Please, allow me to continue.

Aren't we all?

[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.

—Missed out.
—It's inconceivable.

A person always wants to improve themselves.

[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!

—Or worse!
—Dog is my copilot.

He's our chaperone.

[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.

—That's all?
—Gee, I have trouble following rules, too, but I try to.

Bob, what did you do with the sun?

[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?

—No shit!
—Maybe there is a God.

Are you feeling better?

[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!

—Much better!
—A serious drinker is a serious worker.

So considerate.

[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.

—Yeah, sure.
—That's not bad for me.

You're such a creep.

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

62.

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

—I've heard.
—So are you, and so are your parents!

What did you get your degree in?

[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.

—Wild moments.
—Having fun!

Are you in a hurry there, Tod?

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

65.

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

—Without stopping.
—I'm way ahead of you.

You're delusional.

[Hint: They're analyzing]

66.

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

—Very clever.
—You're repressed.

Oh, he's using one of his famous comebacks.

[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!

—TOO BAD!
—If Jesus could do it, you can, too.

Who is she?

[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!

—Control yourself!
—She's my cousin.

I'll be seeing YOU later. [Ominously]

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

69.

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

—On schedule.
—You can do whatever you want.

[When you pick up the phone, the caller says,] Who's this?

[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!

—Forget it!
—Before your time.

Do you smoke?

[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.

—Until recently.
—I let mine rise.

Please! I'm not with you.

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

74.

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

—Networking, eh?
—Anybody who's good at anything.

I thought you didn't like opera.

[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?

—You sure?
—It's called whistling in the dark.

Well, I don't think it's important, but my boss does.

[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!

—Going up!
—They don't know what else they're supposed to do.

It's fucked-up! It's totally fucked-up! I knew that was going to happen.

[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.

—Just brutal.
—Without a guide.

You are not a team player.

[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.

—Everything's changing.
—Different people are good at different things.

Never mind! – Forget it!

[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 ...

—Nothing more.
—You can't blame people for trying.