Idiom of the week: That's the way the cookie crumbles

"That's the way the cookie crumbles". I always think of a chubby, cute hamster nibbling at a cookie whenever I hear this expression.

The meaning it conveys isn't that fun though. "That's the way the cookie crumbles" (also "that's the way the ball bounces") is used to show resignation when something doesn't come out as expected and there's nothing you can do to change it.

We've got some equivalent expressions in Spanish (así es la vida; es lo que hay), but I don't think there's one as idiomatic as "that's the way..." -except perhaps the more vulgar ajo y agua which has become popular among young people nowadays. 

For a chic version, you can rely on the French c'est la vie. The meaning is exactly the same, but you won't probably sound so rude.