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.
How discouraging.
Is it?

—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.

Little things.
As if.
Think so?
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.

Very funny.
Unheard of.
Keep going! ...
Be specific.

—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.

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

—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.
Way ahead.
Just about.
Can't fail.

—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.

Beats me!
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.

A joke!
So sad!
Just so!
Since when?

—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.
It's genetic.
NO TROUBLE!
Behind everything.

—Behind everything.
—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.
Well, okay!
Very important.
The opposite.

—Very important.
—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.
Never easy.
Either way.
Can't hurt!

—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.

Very serious.
Violent enough.
Saved again!
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.

Sort of.
Another thrill.
Or something.
It was.

—Sort of.
—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.
Even now.
Spare me!
Big tragedy.

—Even now.
—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.
Without fail.
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.

Total waste.
Pretty wicked.
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.

Oh, boy!
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!
Impressive, huh?

—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.
Nobody knows.
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.

Really dark.
Way beyond!
Much better!
Better not!

—Better not!
—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.
Out working!
God knows!
Quite unnecessary.

—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.

Totally unexpected.
Everything changes.
Especially now.
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!
It's inconceivable.
Very clever.
Maybe less.

—It's inconceivable.
—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.

Good God!
Cheap thrills.
THAT's why.
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.

Not intentionally.
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.

With what?
Forget that!
Networking, eh?
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?
I guess.

—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.
What's different?
Going up!
Above all!

—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.
Can't wait.
No violence!
Just brutal.

—Can't wait.
—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.

Just beginning.
What's missing?
Totally. Forever.
Everything's changing.

—What's missing?
—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.

World power.
You're kidding!
Not even.
Nowhere near.

—Not even.
—This isn't the Spanish Inquisition.