Dear Prudence,
My girlfriend hates the sounds of joints popping and tells me it is equivalent to nails on a chalkboard for her. I have tried to quit cracking my knuckles in her presence, but my back still cracks if I stretch after sitting or lying down too long. It feels good and often happens because I roll over into a new position. We have started bickering about this every morning when I get up before her. I am not doing it on purpose—it just happens. How can I help my girlfriend get over this?
—Pop