I’ve seen a couple blog posts, blog titles and taglines with C’est la vie on them. At first, I didn’t know the meaning until I asked one of the technician here on site. I feel irritated because I’m living in a French speaking country and I should know all these catchy French phrases.

I know the meaning of vie because our camp on site is called base vie. Vie means life. It’s ironic actually. They called our camp that but our camp hasn’t been alive seen the New Year’s eve of ’82. So c’est la remains. I know I can just google those words but I have a whole mine site at my disposal so I opted to wait for the right time.

This week, we had too many idle time so I asked one of the members of my team. He said C’est la vie means That’s life. Pronounced as “se la vi”. It’s a French expression normally for untoward incidents. So I said that C’est la vie is not a good  expression because you’re just accepting all the things that are happening around you. He fired back that this only pertains to the things that you can’t control. True enough. But as of writing, I thought of a couple instances that C’est la vie may be applicable.

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When you live in the province and you still use sun drying for your clothes then suddenly it rained and got your clothes wet again. C’est la vie. 

Maybe start checking your weather app. They’re not pre-installed for nothing.

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All of you in the family are smokers then one of you got sick (eg. Lung Cancer). C’est la vie.

You know smoking is bad. Have you seen the pictures? #YOLO

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Your professor loves to give pop quizzes of next lessons every Monday. During the weekends, you binge watched the Harry Potter Series, the LOTR trilogy, and all the Star Wars movies. You failed the pop quiz. C’est la vie.

You should’ve watched the Harry Potter Series only.

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It’s payday Friday and you decided to go grocery shopping because your fridge have been begging you since last Friday. On your way home, you got stuck in the traffic until Wednesday. C’est la vie.

It’s payday and it’s a Friday. Two red flags right there for a horrible traffic jam. Also, all roads are on red according to Waze. You should’ve stayed home and watched the new season of How to get away with Murder and do the shopping first thing Saturday.

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You’ve spent a solid 5 minutes for your order of a Starbucks frappucino alone. More pumps of that. A swirl of that. Low fat that. No whipped cream, etc. It’s like a drink fresh out of the secret secret menu. And you expect your barista to get it right? Hell no! C’est la vie.

I believe in the saying, “With great orders come great responsibilities.”. Please respect your barista and be a basic bitch sometimes. You don’t need those extra pumps of caramel and yes you need that whipped cream. Starbucks is not a f*cking Jamba Juice.

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You failed your job interview and you don’t know why. Okay. Let’s go back to when they asked you, “How do you see yourself in 5 years time?”. Here’s what you answered, “In 5 years time, I’m married then, got a couple of kinds and the manager of ********* Corp(their rival company).”. C’est la vie.

No. Honesty isn’t the best policy. In dark times like job interviews, you should’ve brought your white lies with you. I know you’ve been eyeing to get in that dream company of yours but you need that position and experience to get in. Go ahead and bluff your way it to that pathetic company.

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There are things really that we have no control of but bear in mind that those things should not control you.