86 Comments
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Jen Wynn's avatar

l- “now lower your expectations” 🤣❤️in these wretched times, your humor is a balm. Thank you.

Nina's avatar

I ‘lol’d’ at that line while waiting for my daughter’s parent’s evening, attracting some sideways glances 😒

Holly P's avatar

For funsies you can look up on instagram how Canadians reacted to Bad Bunny listing Canada as a country in the Americas. Spoiler: we were VERY EXCITED

Catherine Newman's avatar

Did you see the Heated Rivalry mash-up? Google it. "What is he doing?"

Holly P's avatar

I have seen everything HR. Keeping up is my second full-time job after my actual full-time job.

Holly P's avatar

across the country: "that's us!!!!!"

Brittany Viklund's avatar

Madi! And yes Benito! And lowering expectations 😂 and all of this good stuff.

I made a donation to The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota in response to a snarky “unfollow” after posting about a 5-year-old boy and shared it on social media. My community followed suit and we collectively raised over $6,000 in just a few days because hate👏won’t👏win👏

Thanks for all you do. 🤜🤛

Renee Brown's avatar

I'm reminded why I love your work!!! Thank you!!

Kate Hopper's avatar

Love love all of this! And thank you from MN! The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is the best. My daughter interned for them last summer and just started working for them again. They do such amazing and critical work! 🙏❤️

Catherine Newman's avatar

I'm so glad to hear that, Kate!

Beth's avatar

Pretty sure the key to more happiness is lower expectations! No, lower!! Even lower! So good!

Emily B's avatar

I went to my kids' school assembly. Seeing 3rd graders earnestly singing "Hero" by Mariah Carey was a real antidote to the world. It helps if one of those 3rd graders is your child, but I think it is probably not required.

Catherine Newman's avatar

I could cry just hearing about it!

Stacey Zarcoff's avatar

“Now lower your expectations. So good!” is 100% my coping mechanism for (gestures towards EVERYTHING [which my calloused thumbs typed as EVERYTHONG, which is also true])

Adding crackers and cheese to my packing list and adding book to my Libby list.

(My ushanka appreciates your yak)

Catherine Newman's avatar

everythong ha ha ha ha

Lil Substack's avatar

Is your freshman roommate Suzin Cho, MD now an OB-GYN in Minneapolis? If so, she has an excellent bedside manner. She was on call when I miscarried and held my hand while making me look at her and repeat “my morning peloton ride did not cause this” until I believed it. It took five times but it stuck.

Catherine Newman's avatar

She is! Meg, that's such a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it, and I'm so sorry. xo

Mel G's avatar

I'm from Wisconsin, cheese is always a good idea. A better idea on crackers, and when hungry. I loathe granola bars and protein bars and all things that are supposed to feel like food but just, don't. I was on a work trip last week to Chicago and found myself multiple just really damn hungry, my dear friends and fellow moms kept offering me granola bars and every time said i'd rather be hungry. I'm now a Minnesotan so thank you for reminding people to donate. We had a 'no spend' January and spent those funds saved (and then some) on immigration lawyers and local families. Now instead of having more clothes i'll be sick of in a year, and dumb trinkets that were an awful idea but felt like a good idea at the time we have that swelling feeling of pride that we're helping and in helping the good we're fighting the monsters. Win - win.

Catherine Newman's avatar

With you, Mel. xo

Holly P's avatar

"Now lower your expectations." this is good life advice across the board though

Lindsey Goldstein's avatar

I was thinking the mint hot chocolate sounded so good and then almost spit out my coffee laughing with the “now lower your expectations.” 😂

Gwen Krosnick's avatar

“Now lower your expectations” 🤣😭 I love it.

Ann Ward's avatar

came here to say that! lol

Jojo B's avatar

Same!

Trish's avatar

Your cat is my cat ideal, Maine Coone-y and fat. And thank you for your post, needed it.

Beth's avatar

thank you for linking the Peter Coviello essay. I don't think it would have crossed my path otherwise.❤️

Christina Swindells-Nader's avatar

So far today "Now lower your expectations. So good!" has been the thing that has made me happiest, almost as happy as seeing the Canadian flag being carried along with all the other flags from the Americas behind Bad Bunny. Thank you!

I may experiment later on whether the hot chocolat-ish makes me as happy, if I can suitably adjust my expectations.

Holly P's avatar

lolol I'm going to follow you on instagram. you already follow my sister. this city

Elizabeth Berget's avatar

Thank you from Minneapolis! Also the laughing cow between two smashed crackers is a tip for the ages.

Emma Tourtelot's avatar

Wait, Laughing Cow cheese does not need to be refrigerated?! How am I just learning this at the age of 52?

Catherine Newman's avatar

Right? Even our Trader Joe's sells if off the shelf, though lots of stores keep it in the fridge.