I have been renovating an old travel trailer to use as hobby workspace/fortress of solitude/home theater. Let's just say that I'm not exactly a professional at home improvement. And the trailer, a 1972 Ford Prowler, didn't really give me much to work with, but it was within my price range, and I could see some possibilities in it. Anyway, the more I work on this trailer, the more I realize that it's going to be ugly no matter what I do to it, partially because of the original trailer I had to work with, and partially because of my (lack of) ability.
The phrase that came to mind is "It's like putting lipstick on a pig." Another way to put it is "It's like polishing a turd."
I'm looking for other idioms that say the same thing: Futilely trying to beautify the unbeautifyable. Help me, my friends!
I'm especially interested in idioms from countries outside the USA, simply because I've heard the American expressions. That's not to say I don't want any Americans to reply. Everybody's welcome to help me polish this turd. :twirl: :lookingup: :tongueout:
Yu know i read this as:
I need a bunch of IDIOTS, and you guys are the ones to help me
I was p**sed in a funny way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIWgNKUMlzM
Trying to turn coal into a diamond.
Hmm. Might as well get the obvious one out of the way:
You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
And not exactly the same, but in a similar vein:
You can dress an elephant up...but you can't take it anywhere. (Often just the first part is used, with a pause implying the rest)
You can't get clean water from a dirty tank.
That kinda of relates to siblings who behave badly and who have, what some would call, bad parents.
But it could work for you...
If you trailer is ugly, then what comes from it will be ugly too.
Shining like a diamond in a goat's behind!
Quote from: Ed, Just Ed on May 14, 2010, 10:37:09 PM
Yu know i read this as:
I need a bunch of IDIOTS, and you guys are the ones to help me
I was p**sed in a funny way
I was hoping at least one person would read it that way. I worded it that way on purpose :bouncegiggle: :twirl:
Thanks for the suggestions so far, friends. Keep 'em coming!
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whisky from a bottle of wine