What are you doing home? Are you really going to wear that? What did you do to your hair? Have you gained weight?

Ah, the sounds of family. They sure know how to boost your self-esteem.

I have realized something during my lifetime. You may have to love your family, but you do not have to like them.

We all have those certain family members, maybe one, two or a whole family tree, that we cannot stand.

You know, the family members who pull up in their RV on Thanksgiving looking for a place to "plug in and park" so they can feast off your hard cooking that you spent 48 grueling, hot hours preparing.

Let us not forget about those loving relatives who take it as an insult if you did not think to stock up on their favorite brand of beer or whiskey when they unexpectedly drop in for a visit.

Do not be embarrassed if these relatives described are some perched in your very own family tree because everyone has them.

I love all of my family members, but when it comes to liking them, there are few and far between.

It is funny how those family members who you do not (shhhh) "like" really add life and color to a holiday get-together, birthday party or family reunion.

Such as your Uncle Bubba from Arkansas. He is the uncle that looks nine months pregnant due to his many years of beer funneling. Bubba still continues to squeeze into the same clothes from college, despite the fact they are painted on and still have the chili dog stain from the big football game in '86.

Oh, and we cannot forget about older cousin Jed. You can recognize Jed out of the crowd when he arrives to your sister's wedding, Natural Ice in hand.

Jed is dressed to a tee with his tight wranglers equipped with the permanent Skoal imprint on the back pocket, sleeveless Sturgis T-shirt (the sleeves would have been attached had it not been for the bathroom break he took during his early morning deer hunt -- you think I'm kidding here), and freshly "Aqua-netted" mullet.

Maybe your relatives are not as bad as these mentioned above or maybe they are worse, and if they are, may God help you. However, any way you look at it, you cannot get rid of them. Blood is thicker than water, no matter how bad alcoholism may run in your family.

You may be embarrassed to introduce your friends, coworkers and loved ones to these particular members, but after they meet your kin, they will probably congratulate you on turning out so well. See, they are not here in life to embarrass you, but make you look better.

After meeting Uncle Bubba or Cousin Jed, your boss might give you a raise because of your successful triumph in overcoming the stupidity epidemic in your family.

Your friends may appreciate you more and not think of you as weird but understand now where you have been coming from.

It is the little things in life, like your family, that although may seem horrible, if looked at in the right light, may make you a better person, or at least seem like one. So, people do not bash the Uncle Bubbas and Cousin Jeds of the world -- embrace them! You never know when you may need them.

Hillary Edman is a senior journalism major from Shreveport and serves as a news editor for The Tech Talk. E-mail comments to Hedman1060@aol.com.