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

Say Uncle!

[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.

—That's enough.
—You don't need to throw yourself into the fires of abandonment.

PIG!

[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.
Far superior.

—Small world.
—Whatever you want.

How many days do you drive?

[Hint: They're giving you solicitous approval]

8.

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

—Never stop.
—Now we're going to get into money!

Those dogs cost a lot, don't they?

[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.

—Never mind!
—It's happened before.

Sam, why do you have a basket on the front of your bike like a little girl?

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

10.

Doesn't matter.
Anything else?
What nerve.
Don't worry.

—What nerve.
—That's what YOU say.

Run, Toto! [Mickey Mouse voice]

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

11.

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

—Totally unhelpful.
—It's just another friend.

May you live in interesting 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.

Once again!
Thank you!
It's insane.
Wicked, huh?

—Once again!
—Singing while Rome burns.

When are you going to marry her?

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

13.

Good advice.
Anything less?
Really tragic.
No worse!

—Anything less?
—I'll see what I can do.

Speak for yourself!

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

15.

Sight unseen.
How embarrassing.
So far.
MY mistake.

—So far.
—The deepest parts of you are the smartest.

Straighten up and fly right.

[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.
Kicking back!
THINGS CHANGE!

—All right.
—I'll have to change my diet.

They're so gorgeous – They certainly don't look like you. [Your newborn twins]

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

18.

Apparently not.
Nothing urgent.
Who, me?
It's chilling.

—Nothing urgent.
—Buckets of light.

Never get old!

[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.

—Not forever.
—I might be an actor — You don't have to do anything.

That's one possibility.

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

20.

BELIEVE me.
Beautiful, huh?
Well, sure!
fooling around

—BELIEVE me.
—One's enough.

How's business?

[Hint: They're trying to intimidate you]

22.

Who knows?
I wouldn't.
Infinitely sad.
Ever hopeful.

—Who knows?
—Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's easy.

Whatever you say.

[Hint: They're trying to characterize you]

23.

Don't panic!
Hardly ever.
Doesn't hurt.
EVERY TIME!

—Doesn't hurt.
—Whatever it is, it's good.

The same to you!

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

24.

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

—Very little.
—Hang in there, right?

Don't let me forget to call him.

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

25.

Pretty intense.
Midnight Special.
Close enough.
Not exactly.

—Close enough.
—Do it before the fall!

Have a nice night.

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

26.

It's perfect.
Not quite.
Any one.
Before long!

—Any one.
—Maybe I will.

Over my dead body!

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

27.

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

—TOO HOT!
—Let us remember people while they're alive.

Go stand in the corner.

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

30.

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

—Another miracle!
—I'm standing in the corner of my smile!

Hurry up!

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

31.

Really tough.
Cheer up!
It's impossible.
Little challenges.

—Little challenges.
—Time out!

Was Richard giving you a mischievous grin?

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

35.

Not today.
We'll see.
NICE TRY!
It's better.

—NICE TRY!
—That's stretching it.

Are they fake?

[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.

Well, anyway.
Great timing!
That's it.
Et sui culpae!

—Well, anyway.
—There's no need for that.

That remark is absurd!

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

41.

Be serious.
Nothing more.
Not yet.
Or vice versa.

—Nothing more.
—What better way is there than being clever?

Are you on the rag?

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

43.

What's that?
It's devastating.
You're strong.
Too soon.

—You're strong.
—Is this the best way to show your strength? ... Feed your family!

Smile!

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

46.

What then?
Be honest.
More so!
Never boring.

—What then?
—Why shouldn't I smile?

Thanks for sharing that with us.

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

48.

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

—Home free!
—It's hard enough to pay for my child's education.

Lose the tie!

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

49.

Harsh. Indeed.
That soon?
I'll cry.
Very standard.

—That soon?
—The world isn't ready.

Don't you even care what happens to the other students?

[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.

Oh, definitely!
Someone might.
Watch out!
Do less.

—Do less.
—Acting strong is not the same thing as being strong.

So sue me.

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

56.

Au contraire.
That'll help.
No reason.
Donations, right?

—No reason.
—I have much more money than I deserve or need.

Shut up!

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

58.

Afraid not.
For what?
It's colossal.
Completely different.

—For what?
—What's your offer?

Big deal. [Sarcastically]

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

61.

Hey! OUCH.
Unbelievable, huh?
Don't laugh.
All along.

—All along.
—There's more than you think, right?

What do you think we're paying you for?

[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.
Who hasn't?
Just some.

—Who hasn't?
—Something no twelve-year-old would understand.

Nobody ever says that stuff to me.

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

70.

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

—No telling.
—Whatever it is.

Duuhhh!

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

72.

So stupid!
No restraints!
Just don't!
How exotic.

—No restraints!
—You're smarter than that.

Come on, get with the program!

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

77.

Could be.
Very simple.
Next time!
Carry on!

—Carry on!
—At least I have a sense of humor about it.

Use your imagination.

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

78.

Big time!
What's up?
Nothing fatal.
It's magic.

—It's magic.
—Black is beautiful.

Did we ask for your opinion?

[Hint: They're trying to distract you]

79.

At least.
Too dangerous.
It's criminal.
Great memories!

—It's criminal.
—Well, you could try the Internet.

Are we having fun yet?

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

80.

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

—Nothing special.
—You can't miss.

What are the rules for Moxie's Disease?

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

81.

Big family!
Anything new?
How's that?
Loafing around!

—Big family!
—Just do the best you can.

Non-escalating Verbal Self-Defense — What is that?

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

82.

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

—Nothing fancy.
—Tonic, we call it — It's an old-fashioned art.

I was just being friendly.

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

84.

Crazy, huh?
God forbid!
Fat chance!
Beat it!

—God forbid!
—Very loyal.

I wasn't talking to you.

[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.
It's terrible.
I'll bet.
Many ways!

—I'll bet.
—I'm not alone.

There's a hotel for you. [In a sleazy part of town]

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

86.

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

—It's powerful.
—You don't know life at its worst.