Theory of
taxi1010.com

Taunts, Insults or Attacks

Codewords Inside Aggressive "Tricks"

"Wings" to Fly
Back to Yourself

Backup
"Ideas"

Six Choices

Essays | Art

Street Smarts

Presskit | Publicity

Feedback

Periscope

Site Map

Kids' Pages

Milestones

The Way Out

 

CLINIC

PATIENT

DIAGNOSTIC

Patient refers to it as stargate-five-four

A Provocateur.2

Reference.4

 

TOOLSET

INFORMAL FALLACY

 

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

It's calling out to you! 

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

Moxie's

Disease

 

The Fallacy of Concomitant Variation — Just because two events show a high incidence of correlation does not necessarily imply they are causally connected. Sometimes people play out little scenes in front of you, their banter meant to humiliate you. —It's calling out to you! If you treat yourself with respect, no one can actually attack you.

 

NOTES TO MYSELF

PSYCHOLOGICAL AGE

CLASS

[hot-button issues & sore subjects] - In general, the more specific an emotional outburst, an inner belief, or a provocative conjecture is, the more unlikely it is to contain reality - Right or wrong, they're trying to contain you! - If you say you don't want to be better than other people and you just want to be yourself, they diagnose you as a psychopath ... then, mixing sarcasm with fantasy, start offering prescriptions! - She may be one of these insecure people who try to make everyone feel even more insecure ... so she can be the secure one - "Let's get on the ball now!" - If your feelings are hurt because people aren't being relaxed or normal, remember, most people are phonies all the time, and when they talk to you, they have a glimpse of reality - They have little power games they play to feel important - They can spot people like you a mile away, and they torture you - They attack other people - They can tell what drives other people crazy, and they're nasty about it - That's the lowest of the low - You just wait for your moment - That's all.

The Age of Insanity, ages 12-15

Wild Expectations

 

 
 
 
 
 

Exactly what someone said [or did]
... usually not very original.

The thoughts of a "bad child"
... to free your mind again.

TRICKS

WINGS

IDEAS

«gloom»

—It's calling out to you!

—When people are intimate they find themselves in frequent contact with the abrasive sores which revolve in the other person. First know your own sores; then you can begin to recognize the sores in other people ... Rather than sharing an observation with another person, act it out. For instance, don't tell someone you haven't been paying enough attention to them – pay more attention! ... If you are rejected it's because you are rejecting – you reject yourself and nobody can stand being around someone who's pretending to be someone ... People can get along or have intercourse on different levels: intellectual, emotional, or physical. It is rare when two people have intercourse on all three ... You want to be a nice person? Let other people take care of themselves ... The reason you let your parents say anything to you and that you don't say anything back to them is that you think they have the right to hurt your feelings. And you don't want to hurt their feelings ... People will always pull the same things. If you can't afford to be influenced in those ways, stay away ... A man caught a person in his garden at night stealing basil. "You don't have to steal," he told the thief, "I'll give you all you want." "Don't say that," said the thief, "It's better this way." ... With some people you can just be yourself. With others you can practice ... You must learn how to cut your losses. How to stop. Then you can do something else.

"Winning takes care of everything, doesn't it?"

—It's calling out to you!

—"Be careful, because you can be a rooster one day and a feather duster the next." (–Syd Fischer, by way of Jimmy Spithill and Christopher Clarey)

[A little girl turning around and pointing at a three-hundred-pound woman, making everybody laugh]

—It's calling out to you!

—Like everyone else.

"I like the way the back of her bicycle sticks out." [In a loud enough voice for her to hear]

—It's calling out to you!

—It's a whole family.

"What would Chris want for Sam?" :: WildCard-6

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Are you trying to outshine Death? ... That's making a spectacle of yourself.

"Hey, ass-wipe!"

—It's calling out to you!

—Soul searching.

"Dicksplash!"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Do you have a choice?

"What would make you happy right now?" :: WildCard-7

—It's calling out to you!

—I'm living in the past – I like it there.

"All you have to do is let the shit come out of your ass!" [Telling jokes as you're going into the bathroom]

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

Nature screamed, it didn't call.

"Let the symphony begin!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—I want to have eight hundred investment properties.

"Did everything come out all right?" [Telling jokes as you're coming out of the bathroom]

—It's calling out to you!

—No matter how much money you make, God finds a way to punish you.

"Why are you looking up here? The joke is in your hand." [Men's room graffito] :: WildCard-12

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—A dream come true.

"Size matters."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Look, is it my fault?

"Dink is small?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Maybe you grew one.

"Are you insecure about your cock size?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Sometimes life is good.

"Why be inferior?"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—They have to beg for it.

"Heartbroken, and I want to move on."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—There's a conflict there – Should you get attention for being injured, or should you get over it?

"Too bad you couldn't close that deal."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—They had it on the news.

"Come on, come on, come on! She need to close the window! She needs to close the window and go home!"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—And it's not cheating you out of anything else.

"So what are you going to do? – Go home to mommy?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Do you like to sit around and look at pictures for hours?

"You're not that close to her?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Ma, me, moo, may, mo of the North.

"HEY – Don't blame me for the wound in your crotch."

—It's calling out to you!

—Look for something awful when you go, and much, much worse when you're near.

"Don't get into too much trouble out there."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—I like the esoteric track.

"I don't want to play with you – Step back."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—See? They're always one step ahead.

"I want my mommy! I want my mommy!"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

If you ever leave me, I'm going with you!

"That's a good idea – You should make a talent for everything."

—It's calling out to you!

The talent!

"What a couple of mavens." [Carefully moving a table]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Anybody of my generation.

"We're not spring chickens."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—It gets hotter, I have news for you ... No one teaches anyone that ... It's like a folk tale they tell over the campfire ... Especially if you're holding on to it because you're so embarrassed ... Suddenly Last Summer ... Open, O' Simsim! Hello, Tale of the Sands! ... My wife is smoking hot! ... Show me some skin, girl! ... Convivial pink ... Mexican spitfire!

"You could become an art critic."

—It's calling out to you!

—All those screwballs from Iowa . . . Somehow they're running the world.

"Why didn't they have Joe Montana?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—These things are hard to put together.

"Have you figured it out?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Everything revolves and never ends.

"Try to stay out of trouble."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—The trouble is, my trouble is too much fun!

"If you figure everything out, you're dead."

—It's calling out to you!

—"Eventually, we're each going to die, our species will go extinct, the sun will explode,and the universe will collapse. Existence is not only temporary, it's pointless. We're all doomed, and worse, nothing matters." (–Calvin & Hobbes, June 25, 2003)

"Why do you want a white one?" [You're holding out for a white iPhone 4]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Nothing complicated.

"Did you find that waitress sexy?"

—It's calling out to you!

—An hour before you eat.

"You will have the ability to gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of bullies, their behaviors and their issues." [Testimonial for a self-help book on verbal self-defense]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Maybe a nice dog could be governor.

"You can't examine your life if you can't remember it."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—As if there's something better.

"I know you have issues with it."

—It's calling out to you!

—Have you ever felt this way before?

"Do you have issues?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Some people don't even see what's in their mind ... These people can't see anything.

"Are you happy, Maria?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Over here ... Beyond belief ... TOO SIMPLE ... It's colossal ... The idea! ... The talent! ... Back channel! ... Full force! ... Without fail.

"As long as you're happy."

—It's calling out to you!

Like an animal! ... I hope so ... Then what? ... Let's get with the program! ... What difference does it make what someone is as long as they have a nice life?

[A pretty girl purposefully crossing your path]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Hey, there!

"I got paid yesterday, dude!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—What's doing?

"There's a really good sushi restaurant up the street – I can't see it right now."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

What's your name?

"Quick, quick, quick!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—It's the Wild West.

"That was quick."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—I surrender.

"Okay, where can we get some French toast? Quick!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—You know, it's just ideas.

"Why are you shaking and popping?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—So what if water comes out of the radiator?

"I don't care what Virginia says."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—That's another nail out of your coffin.

"Hate is never a family value."

—It's calling out to you!

—To kill people who don't do their job.

[Somebody saying too many words]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

Get you! I read you! ... Okay! What's next? ... I don't do diplomacy.

"I don't want to know you!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—In the unconscious, opposites are the same thing.

"Is it pretty enough for you out here today?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—On the news ... It's all right with me.

"Hate is not a family value."

—It's calling out to you!

—If you lie about hatred, it comes out in ways you don't expect.

"You could put some rat traps out in the water heater shed."

—It's calling out to you!

—They're all wound up like a rubber band because they're such liars.

"Where is heaven?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Where you are is heaven – Wherever you are – Right around the corner – You finally wised up, huh? – Maybe it's good to stay home for a change, huh?

"It's a trick question – Watch out for that one."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Where I come from that's not a bad joke at all.

[Someone coming over and sitting on you while they're talking on a cell phone]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—To the house of sleep and death where nothing will ever bother you again!

"Is it lucrative?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—It's really nice for people, too.

"You're going to get in trouble."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Black gold ... All through it.

"What's the scam here?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Why be like your parents? – Be like George Gershwin, Bernard Shaw, Eugene O'Neill, Shakespeare, Sigmund Freud, Federico Fellini.

"Well, you should."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Work, win and kill yourself.

"Ricky is so square!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—For most people it's dreadful – They live in a box and they don't know what they're doing.

"Please go back in your house."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—You have plenty of hope ... Put your eyeball back in.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" [Dripping scorn, putting on airs]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Total obedience ... and love!

"No good deed goes unpunished."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Terrible consequences.

"I think of my mother every day."

—It's calling out to you!

—It's good for kids ... What difference does it make what kind of salt you put in a chicken? – It's salt ... Well, how did you like the answers?

"My mother told everyone in town I was gay."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Everyone believed something else.

"I've been around 60 years and I've yet to find something I'm passionate about except your mother."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—She is a peach!

"He said something about my mother."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—A leading intellectual light.

"If you are not outraged, you're not paying attention."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—They trick people into hating them ... to cheat people, to save money ... You get people to hate you, and before they know it, you've cheated them out of having a nice life.

"I guess it pays to be teacher's pet."

—It's calling out to you!

—There's a great brain drain – To someone with half a brain, it's really something.

"You can't fool me! ... I know your tricks."

—It's calling out to you!

—Look, if something I said made you mad, I meant to say the other thing.

[Someone blocking you from opening your car door]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—That's what people do.

"Are you trying to get out?"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Now bring me that horizon!

[Someone blocking the aisle with their chair]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—So the Principal told you to cool it?

"Stay out of my way!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—We get along great.

"I need money for college, do you want to help me?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Generally, by being supportive.

"Okay, so you don't want to talk to me? All right."

—It's calling out to you!

—What am I going to do with it, buy a cloud? – It's not even worth it!

"You should stay home with your husband rather than seek employment out of town."

—It's calling out to you!

—Ever since they have cars.

"Don't you want a hundred dollars?"

—It's calling out to you!

—I'll just wait – I'm tired of explaining things to people.

"Give me five dollars." [Blocking your way into the restaurant]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Where's Mickey?

«words with humorous associations»

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—This is a definite Winnie-the-Pooh with a white penis ... Born free!

"Are you afraid?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Just as bad.

"I think what you're leaving out is that you really wanted to murder them for sending you off to summer camp at such a young age."

—It's calling out to you!

—There are easier, quicker solutions than that ... Here's somebody who wants to take you away from all this! ... "Is he walking on the ramparts, a little depressed?" ... Fear of someone dying is often a cover-up for wishes to murder someone ... There's always this resentment ... That's good if you're anxious or in a panic, because you can admit what's inside you ... Don't worry about me, worry about you.

"There's one thing you haven't mentioned – That you wanted to kill them for sending you away."

—It's calling out to you!

Problem solved ... Here's the secret: "There must be oxygen on Mars from that one."

["I don't worry about that."] "Well, you should."

—It's calling out to you!

—What for? So they can tell me what's wrong with me? I know what's wrong with me by this time.

"You want this?" [Sopping newspaper]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Okay, what date is that?

"Bring a note from your mother."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—There are short burials and long burials.

"You should read this book."

—It's calling out to you!

—It's easier to write than it is to read.

"Like I'm supposed to care?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Everyone does.

"I just don't care."

—It's calling out to you!

She saw the morning light begin to pierce the night – She was discretely silent.

"You don't want to say."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Do whatever you want ... I don't care!

"I have everything under control."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Everyone has perverted minds – Some people don't show it.

"I guess I'm going to have to take that Nobel Peace Prize off my résumé."

—It's calling out to you!

—Protect yourself from mannequins.

"Are you pulling out, sir?"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—In due time.

"Keep Richard under control."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Maybe what they didn't say is there are hundreds of little schools teaching people to stay away from all of this.

"Control yourself!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—I'm a Buddhist.

"It's a way to have control over my body because I can't control anything else in my life."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—"Depression is often described as anger turned inward." (–Jane E. Brody)

"Uppity Nigger!"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—And do you agree? ... I am Darth Do-do!

"Ya, I'll speak with your mama outside." (–Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who in police parlance, was getting lippy with Cambridge police Sergeant James Crowley, who had been seeking identification after a neighborhood report of a break-in. Professor Gates followed Sgt. Crowley out onto the porch, yelling at him in the presence of a growing crowd, "Why, because I'm a Black man in America?" and stated soon thereafter he intends to make a movie about the incident ... reportedly having screamed out on his own front porch, which had now become a public setting, "I'M NOT SOMEONE TO MESS WITH!")

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

Back down! ... Do you really mean it? ... You're not trying to be American ... You're just like anyone else ... You can never do better than better ... That's part of being older, too ... You can see things you couldn't see a year ago ... Mathematics is a playful activity ... It's like you're outside on a day that's nice ... You get these intense shots of heat ... Just like the old days ... I've got to jump off after this ... You never know when you're going to get the short end of the stick ... "You may not have committed a crime, but you know what? You've got a big mouth." (–New York State Senator Eric Adams, retired New York City police captain and co-founder of the group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement)

[Loudmouth at a movie theater yakking away like there's no tomorrow]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—That's enough, isn't it? ... Clever, huh? ... I wouldn't tell many people that ... It's the death of a thousand cuts! ... Two really sharp guys ... And no one else ... We're talking real dumb-down! ... Well, anyone could say three words ... Somebody's got to be a bitch and you're good at it ... Am I the first person this has happened to? ... I'll say it ... It's so disturbing on so many levels ... To one and all! ... Not "High and Mighty!" It's "Low and Mighty!" ... Let's call it quits. [The thing about smart people is, what do they want to kill themselves for? ... "Great powers should never get involved in the politics of small tribes." (–Kamal Salibi)]

[People talking to each other during a movie – These people are like intuitive – They can tell who they're going to upset – When certain things happen, they trigger a response – Everyone has something]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—All is not lost – They're rats! – I got to hear this – Is that the best you can do? ... She understands everything ... Something funny ... That's her role. [Or simply get up and move to a quieter place – Why work for these people?]

"I would like a one-on-one with Officer Crowley, and I'd like him to apologize. But that will in no way determine if I sue him, the Police Department or the city. That will all be worked out, but I know I'm not going to let this drop." (–Henry Louis Gates, Jr., initially investigated for jimmying a jammed front door, then jailed for trying to humiliate a police officer in public and ongoing belligerence out on his front porch)

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—If you think you're doing things for someone else, it's hard to do – If you think you're doing it for yourself ... I'm going to have to give you bad lessons.

"I think that Sergeant Crowly has backed himself in a very tight corner, and I think that is most unfortunate. My offer to listen to a heartfelt and credible apology is a sincere one and continues to stand." (–Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)

—It's calling out to you!

—Sometimes you just don't want to do things ... Some people can talk their way out of a ticket, and some people can talk their way into jail.

"You should write a little book."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—I'm on vacation!

"You should take a break every now and then."

—It's calling out to you!

—I'm having too much fun!

"You should put your phone number on here so that people can call you for a taxi."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Hundreds of things, if you can.

"We'll probably be sick of each other by then."

—It's calling out to you!

—Because this is your imitation of Michael Jackson.

"You're too young to have a train now – We'll put it away for a while."

—It's calling out to you!

—Who's going to fix it? No one! Who cares?

"Maybe we'll have a bigger one." [A war bigger than the one in Iraq]

—It's calling out to you!

—Is life grand?

"So are you happy?"

—It's calling out to you!

—What if a stone came up to you and said, "Am I a stone?" ... Of course! ... You're the kind of mother I don't need ... I already had one ... I feel that Jesus is a dead pinball machine ... "Don't get knifed!" ... "Don't hurt people's feelings." ... "Don't make work for other people's expectations." ... "No bad language." ... "No social incorrectness." ... "No variations from normal." ... That's called nagware ... It's ridiculous to be other than you are ... A little tired.

"Are you happy working in this job for nine years?"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—I can't deny a part of me is always happy ... What happens every day is important.

"Do you want to look at three pictures of me when I was really happy?"

—It's calling out to you!

—It gives you hope, doesn't it?

"Have you been happy?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—That's how you learn to like yourself.

"Are you still happy?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—You can't like anything unless you like yourself.

"It kind of sucks out there, doesn't it?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Some people have to have a payoff, right?

"Oh, you going out tonight?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—How come you're so smart?

"Is everybody happy?" [In the course of the morning half the office has been given "secret" raises]

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Favored children.

[Mean-mugging]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

Gee! ... I'm getting crazy!

"What's up? You got something to say? You want to do something?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

Today I learned I'm going to die ... I'll find someone else ... I'm not quite ready.

"You want to take it out on the street?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

Hardly worth it ... It was so long ago I don't really remember ... Don't make me kill again!

"Stay out of trouble now."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—It's hard enough having Nature poking at you.

"We have to go back to basics."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Can't you go back to something else?

"I have a favor to ask you ... I'm having a party next week and I'm wondering if you can move the garbage cans we can see in your driveway? ... Just for that event ...."

—It's calling out to you!

—Sure I will! [Then forget it]

"Take care of this." [Throw it away]

—It's calling out to you!

—Have you read, What Was That? by Al Zeimer?

"Throw that in the garbage for me."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—He talks that cool managerial lingo.

["That's MINE!"] "No, the fire truck does not belong to you."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Dear God, please come here and save us, but don't send Jesus, because this is not a place for a child.

"Are you looking for other guys?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—You know, people are really kinky.

"So, we're all helping each other here, huh?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—With enough help, you can figure out anything.

[Personal attacks, hate mail, vitriolic e-mail or other written invective, from "e-holes."]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—"Dear Madam," wrote Winston Churchill, "You may very well be right."

"They're like our mothers – Excuse me, I should speak for myself – They're like my mother ... which explains why we perpetually live the single life."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—She throws her bag down and says, "Everything's in here!"

"When John Amaral tells Richard it's okay to sue me, that's when I'll leave the country."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Throw away the book – When someone's lived, these things are meaningless.

"Your scatterbrained and feeble attempts to make sense of everything leave something to be desired."

—It's calling out to you!

—What did you say your name is again? ... You mean, Dr. Horse Sense? ... Get your fingernails off the blackboard, you bitch ... As Vladimir Putin says, Let's preserve the intrigue.

"Yiddish is rich in curses that, at their best, leave just enough to the imagination to keep the recipient tossing and turning at night, poring over possible implications." (–William Grimes, NYT, 9-28-05, review of Michael Wex, Born to Kvetch)

—It's calling out to you!

—All you can expect from someone like that is rejection – They'll reject you to overcome their pain.

"Yes, I have decided I will assassinate Barack Obama. It's really nothing personal about the man ... I don't own a gun so maybe someone can give me one." (–Steven J. Christopher, who was arrested by Secret Service agents in Mississippi after posting these comments January 11, 2009 "on a Web site that features information and articles about extraterrestrials, government conspiracies and unexplained physical phenomenon [sic]," according to The New York Times, January 17, 2009)

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—"Threats against the president-elect will be taken very seriously." (–Dunn Lampton, United States attorney in Jackson, Mississippi)

"I made a hit list. It was so fun to write their names down saying I want them dead."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—You don't need that kind of hot water.

"Taxi driving is considered one of the most low-paying, dangerous, and economically unstable occupations in the country."

—It's calling out to you!

—It's not power and control people yearn for; it's understanding and humor.

"Judaism is defined by exile, and exile without complaint is tourism." (–Michael Wex, Born to Kvetch)

—It's calling out to you!

—Why hate them? Most people are already their own punishment.

["Google has given up on the size wars – They no longer list how many pages they've indexed."] "Well, maybe they believe what women pretend to believe – that size doesn't matter."

—It's calling out to you!

—You don't give it to 'em all at once.

"This guy is also really fixated on people asking him why he's late."

—It's calling out to you!

—I'm a businessperson. I go by reality. We don't go by calendars.

["Wow! That's the first cola I've had in about five years!"] "You don't like them? ... or you just were drinking water?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Just for the weekend.

"My daughter says you stepped on her clock and broke it."

—It's calling out to you!

—And who else?

"He must have pulled something on her."

—It's calling out to you!

—Sounds serious.

"Maybe the only people in the world who can see my site are me and Michael Gibbons." [They like to throw that in, because then you can prove anything]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—People make do.

"David, you don't have to hate Alan – George Bush already does."

—It's calling out to you!

—I'd call Homeland Security.

"You're up to your old tricks again."

—It's calling out to you!

—You hear about the cross-eyed school teacher who couldn't keep her pupils straight?

"I'll give you twenty dollars for that. I'm leaving town. I really need it." [Trying to buy the book you just bought]

—It's calling out to you!

—Forget it! ... Never buy anything secondhand!

"Are you leaving, Sir?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Well, there's a saying about that, isn't there? ... I'm giving up control.

"I want that space."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—I want a chocolate ice-cream soda size.

"Sir, are you leaving?"

—It's calling out to you!

—I always have ... It's all observer.

"You leaving?"

—It's calling out to you!

—I have to work.

"Leaving?"

—It's calling out to you!

—Very shortly.

"Are you leaving?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Where do you think belly buttons come from?

"Of course, you don't care – You're leaving, anyway."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—A part of me does.

"Some structure and logic is either missing [From taxi1010] or I can't just find it."

—It's calling out to you!

—They're always trying to make you feel bad for having fun.

"This should be published."

—It's calling out to you!

—That'll cheer you up.

"You should get started on that."

—It's calling out to you!

—Oh, I really like doing what you tell me to do.

"You see? – You should take me out to dinner more often."

—It's calling out to you!

—Maybe there'll be something even better.

"You should tell her to go to the Penland School of Crafts."

—It's calling out to you!

—In poverty your constellation of friends, close as Pleiades, becomes as great as Ursa Major.

"You should go to Japan."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Where's the money come from?

"You should teach them English."

—It's calling out to you!

—Just to be a little bad.

["That is your ex-girlfriend?"] "She never had a boyfriend. Seriously, Icarus, you should consider asking her out sometime."

—It's calling out to you!

[See Icarus and the Gutter Snipe]

"That was before you knew Chris Daniels."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—A big dog, forget it!

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

—It's calling out to you!

—Keep track of that.

"You got your mother a gift, didn't you?"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Money is nice, isn't it?

"You really should put in a lawn, it would set off the flower beds so well."

—It's calling out to you!

—I dabble in trouble.

"The next money you spend should be on bales of pine straw."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—What am I going to do with money when I'm dead?

"You should cover all the land with pine straw, it would set off your flower beds so well."

—It's calling out to you!

—We do everything by moonlight.

[Someone spraying your dog with a garden hose]

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Once a philosopher, twice a fool!

[Someone at a lunch counter whacking you with their elbow while they eat]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—After three I lose count.

"Oh, you are in trouble now – You are so busted!"

—It's calling out to you!

—Everything you can think of.

"FIRST OF ALL – YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN TROUBLE!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Punch that banana! It didn't grow right. It talked back to its mom!

"You can't fight fire with fire."

—It's calling out to you!

—It's a fucking pain in the ass.

"Achieving critical mass."

—It's calling out to you!

Karma – It just evens the score – It comes up from behind ... It happens when you're not looking ... Somewhere there is where you are ... Want what you have: It's like a magnet ... Put as much attention as you can into neutral ... When it's in the water, the fish can see that – Everything charged ... Just lay off the fancy footwork and be kind to people ... You don't have to know anything ... The refrigerator will come to you – It's called taking a back seat ... Quiet mind, body. Sense yourself. Just be ... It's a good thing to know ... The bigger the denial, the bigger the truth underneath it – That'll help ... I solemnly swear, I am up to no good ... My inner projector is wishful thinking, a little boy who wants a mother ... Try to quiet your thoughts, memories and sensations, and just be alive. You have the right to just be ... Let that be the greatest of your problems ... Ignore girls as best you can, because it causes them to raise the stakes ... Whatever they're doing, thinking, or feeling has nothing to do with you directly ... The only thing they respect is to be ignored – Until it's too late ... You're not supposed to invest in another person ... There's relations – You can't force things – They're either there, or they aren't there ... The more you act like you don't need anything, the more people will respect you.

"I'm calling your mother."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Everybody has everything wrong with them, and if they call it a name, it cements.

"What happened to that other woman?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—She's so natural – She's a real natural! – She's so happy!

"Richard, Could you tell me please who you are, why you are sending this to me, and where you got my e-mail address? Thanks, Kathryn S."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—If you see a huge flash of light, don't look at it.

"Well, you have a problem – You're too confident."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Leave your jealousy at the door.

"The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this." [Jerry Falwell, referring to the 9-11 terror attacks]

—It's calling out to you!

—The only thing worse than having the Moral Majority for an enemy is having the Moral Majority for a friend.

"My kid has the right to rollerblade down the sidewalk."

—It's calling out to you!

—It's tricky.

"Can I pet your dog?" [From a little boy]

—It's calling out to you!

—You have to be careful!

"It didn't work before ... Why should it work now?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—That's the way they talk to servants.

"Hey! Look who's in the street behind you before you back up!"

—It's calling out to you!

—I'm sorry, my wife is in the hospital – I have to visit her.

"Excuse me – Could you please pick that up off the sidewalk?"

—It's calling out to you!

—And you're going to Bermuda ... There's not many people that bad ... There you go – It's your big breakthrough [getting angry] ... Is there a mound of dirt in the back yard? ... Shut up or we'll drop another bomb on you.

"You can't please everyone all the time."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Probably fear of homosexuality.

"Please don't be bad to her!"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—If you insist.

"Don't you ever look behind you when you back up?"

—It's calling out to you!

—We always have.

"I don't care about your show – Even when some fudge packer that you date has been elected President, I don't give a damn – Do you get me, sweetheart?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Your suffering is the result of your intelligence.

"This site has lots of depth and originality; I, being British, never penetrated the psychobabble though."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Whatever that means.

"It's disgusting that a guy who doesn't know that a watt is joules per second should be allowed to write for The Times."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—There's a first for everything.

"If you have that much trouble counting on one hand, you shouldn't be reviewing technology – Maybe a four-year-old can help you out next time."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Is there no end? – There's no end to stupidity.

"I don't think I want to know you anymore – All you do is make me feel bad about myself."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—You're afraid to slow down and enjoy anything good.

"I'm afraid!"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—I have on iron underwear.

"You sound pretty distrustful."

—It's calling out to you!

—You can't be too sure.

"Well, I found this syllabus. Is that what you want me to read?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—It'll be a social embarrassment.

"OK. I found the site, and I read something. Now you want me to write something to you?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—It's all how you feel on the inside.

"What do you want me to do?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—You can have fun.

"What do you want me to read?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.

"You make me want to be a better man."

—It's calling out to you!

—Well, I'm suspicious.

"Do you believe in love at first sight or do I have to walk by you again?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—That will only magnify how shallow you are.

["You just don't know what I like to do when I'm alone."] "I don't want to go there."

—It's calling out to you!

—Many people have that decision made for them.

["What a nice car!"] "You want it?"

—It's calling out to you!

—It's good to see.

"Janet, you know what I want you to do?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—There's no single answer to that.

"Do you want these two kids?" [Teasing them]

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—It's nice to like someone.

"If you'd been listening to the announcement from the captain, ... you can't use your cell phone right now!"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—And if you do, watch out!

"Hello. You gave me a ride in your cab yesterday morning. I left my phone in there. If you have any kind of heart at all, or a decent person, you will call me. Thank you very much."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—There's a lot of 'em here.

"If you really loved me, you wouldn't want to go bowling."

—It's calling out to you!

—If something else happens, I'll let you know.

"You don't want to be an accountant – Math isn't exactly your strong suit."

—It's calling out to you!

—Sounds like something my mother would say.

"I am your mother!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—It still sounds like something my mother would say.

"A little self-indulgence."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—That's old age, huh?

"Your mama!"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Don't ever let anyone you know near your family or they'll hate you.

"You grew up on Maple Street? You know, there was a woman I used to fuck on Maple Street."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Oh! It must have been my mother – She has syphilis.

"You shouldn't talk about your mother that way."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Well, you fucked her! – Now you'll get syphilis.

["I'm from New Jersey."] "Well, when I was in New Jersey, I fucked your mother."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—No, that's not true – You're still alive.

"You know, when you go home tonight and get in bed with mommy, be sure and tell her what a bad boy you were."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Now I know your secret.

"Your mother wears army boots!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—If she's in the Marines!

"Your mother!"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—You just better Watch out!

"Your mother fucked half of Sioux City."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Boy, that's advanced.

"Your sister fucked the other half."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—That's really strong.

"Hey, buddy, give me a lift, will you? I'll give you some gas money. Please!"

—It's calling out to you!

—Just like Jack Benny ... Very expensive! ... They just buy people.

"I scratch your back; you scratch my back."

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Sliding scale, right?

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

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

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

"Happy Valentine's Day to you."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Everything could be like that.

"I hate Valentine's Day."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—I never even heard of it.

"What did you do Valentine's Day?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—The less you do, the better off you are.

"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—There's a lot to be said for being able to be frightened.

"Try to stay out of trouble!"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Why should a person stay up all night wringing their hands?

"Because I'm your mother!"

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Who says so?

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

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

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

"There you go! – Building up your résumé."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—You're holding up the corner nicely.

"You've got so much energy I don't know what to do with you."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—More than you would know.

"I'm the most boring person in the world."

—It's calling out to you!

—We can be terrors on the planet, and we can wear T-shirts.

"Boring!"

—It's calling out to you!

—It's the little things.

"Work it out yourself."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Dinosaurs are a pain in the ass.

"Are you using telepathy?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—You don't hear too much about that.

"Oh, is he afraid?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—Everything you think it is, it isn't.

"You know, Richard, I'm afraid of heights."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Truth is stranger than fiction.

"Who do I have to fuck to get out of here?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Ciao, bella!

"So what do you have to complain about?"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.

—It all hinges on what you think you are.

"I can't complain."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

—Remember that.

"Can't complain."

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—I had that all planned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

REFLECTIONS

 
 
 
 
 

04-JUL-1999.

On Family Values

No comfort for pain

Comfort

No support for anxiousness

Support

No solace for humiliation

Solace

No rewards for intelligence

Rewards

No encouragement during failure

Encouragement

Total acceptance of dread

Acceptance

No testicles for Pinocchio

Compassion

Total approval for obeying orders

Approval

Only what you don't want for presents

Presents

 


05-JUL-1999.

The Holding Patterns of
a Person's Own Brain

Before the computer age, "rhetoricians customarily ... excluded from their province such informal modes of speech as 'small talk,' jokes, greetings ('Good to see you'), exclamations ('What a day!'), gossip, simple explanations ('That miniature calculator operates on dry-cell batteries'), and directions ('Take a left at the next intersection, go about three blocks ....')"(1) yet, precisely because they are so quick, these unexplored modes of communication most need our attention. Is there any moment we can relax?

For instance, aren't we lucky most telephone conversations simply begin, "Hello?"

This greeting (or Moshi moshi! or Bonjour!) allows the listener's mind to quickly determine the frequency pattern, masking threshold, complexity, and intensity of the caller's voice. What if the caller slips in a little, "Fuck you!" for a greeting? By the time the emotional or rational parts of the mind can respond, the damage has been done, and the words are left reverberating in the listener's own mind. It's as if the holding patterns of a person's own brain allow it to inflict terrible insults upon itself.

(1) Corbett, Edward P.J., Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, 3rd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990. p. 3.


21-OCT-2006.

On Someone Abruptly
Changing the Subject

If it's too close for comfort, people sometimes almost violently change the subject: They're paranoid. They have delusions of grandeur. They have delusions of persecution. And sooner or later, they turn on their best friends. "You know, Richard, I'm afraid of heights."

—Oh, definitely! You haven't.

Sometimes they change the subject by shocking you: "Who do I have to fuck to get out of here?"

—By moonlight. Tilt the table.

—Ciao, bella!

 
 
 

24-NOV-2014.

 

Thick
of
It

ShortCuts

Top
of
Page

 

As follows

CODE WORDS: achieving, address, afraid, assassinate, associations, ass-wipe, [attacks], attempts, basics, [bathroom], behaviors, behind, blame, [blocking], boring, busted, cans, care, catchy, Chris, close, [coldness], complain, confident, continues, control, cozy, critic, critical, [crossing], deeper, desired, determine, dicksplash, dink, distrustful, dollars, drinking, driveway, drop, dude, economically, [elbow], [e-mail], energy, event, examine, exile, feeble, fire, fixated, followed, gain, garbage, George, «gloom», grew, hand, happy, heartbroken, heaven, helpful, [hose], implications, inferior, [invective], issues, Ivy Leaguer, John, leaving, lift, [lippy], [loudmouth], low-paying, lucrative, [mail], mama, Maple, mass, mavens, [mean-mugging], meaningful, Michael, mommy, Montana, mother, [movie], one-on-one, other, out, outraged, passionate, perpetually, pet, phone, please, [pointing], popping, practice, psychobabble, pulled, quick, restaurant, résumé, rollerblade, sailor, scam, scatterbrained, scratch, self-indulgence, sending, shaking, shed, should, sight, [sitting], size, space, spring chickens, square, stepped, steroids, structure, symphony, teammate, telepathy, [testimonial], throw, traps, tricks, trouble, unfortunate, unpunished, unstable, uppity, Valentine's, value, waitress, want, we'll, [words], [yakking], Yiddish

 

LIV
Microscopium
"Microscope"

—How's that? Isn't cheap.