Dmitry, this looks like an interesting expression. Can you tell me more about how you use it? In English, "not up to it" means не в настроении: "Why don't you want to go to the movies? -- I'm just not up to it."

Uly, we use it when we want to say that a person is not ready to meet a challenge. ""Будешь поступать в институт? - Куда мне, мне б в училище поступить". Or, when we compare people and mean that one person succeeded much better than the other and it's difficult to be on one level with him. In this casе we add "до нее, до него"."Он окончил академию. Куда мне до него". Есть еще такая песня у Высоцкого (наш советский бард) про его жену Марину Влади, которая жила во Франции (а он в России, тогда еще СССР), там есть такие строки: "Куда мне до нее! Она была в Париже, И я вчера узнал- не только в нем одном." Эта фраза имеет форму вопроса, но вопросительный знак не ставится, так как она звучит как утверждение.

So, Dmitry gave the wrong translation. What will be the correct one? Also interesting.

First of all, thank you for that explanation - it makes perfect sense. If I understood the context correctly, we say: "I can't hold a candle to so-and-so" meaning that you could never aspire to be as good, talented, accomplished as the person you're comparing yourself to. It can also be used sarcastically with this same meaning. Does that sound right?

You're welcome Uly. That's right "I can't hold a сandle to..." Thank you! It's for the 2nd meaning. Куда мне до нее,него.. And what about the first one - just куда мне...
By the way, "I'm not up to" - мы часто говорим "мне неохота" или "мне не хочется", "что-то не хочется" = "я не в настроении".

I think in the first meaning we say "I should live so long" when we feel unworthy of someone or something we could never possibly aspire to: "You should ask Donna out if you like her that much. -- Donna?? I should live so long! She wouldn't look at someone like me to spit in my eye!"

OR we say "That'll be the day!" for something we feel would never happen: "Are you going to go to college after high school? -- That'll be the day! With my grades?"

Fine, that's it, thanks)