DR. WALLACE: I'm heading into my senior year in high school, and I had just come out of a long-term relationship at the end of the last school year. I used the opportunity presented with all my free time this summer to socialize a lot, and I was able to go on several interesting dates.

I met a guy who I'm interested in this summer, and we've gotten along very well for the last three weeks. He attends my high school, so this will be great if we decide to see each other once school resumes.

Almost everything about him is either very good or acceptable to me, but he does have one habit that drives me crazy! Every time I go out with him, he cracks his knuckles several times and also twists his neck around many times, and it sounds like small firecrackers going off!

I think this is gross and it makes me feel queasy. Please tell me this constant cracking is bad for him so that I can suggest that he stops doing it. It will make him think I'm looking out for him instead of badgering him about this matter. Also, why do you think he does this much? — It Creeps Me Out, via email

IT CREEPS ME OUT: You're not alone. Many people find the sound of cracking knuckles and joints to be irritating. But unfortunately, you won't be able to make the argument that it's actually bad for him.

You may think perhaps that his bones or his joints are clashing with each other to cause the noise you hear, but actually, the sound you hear results from a gas bubble that forms between the bones.

A sudden movement can make a gas bubble make a popping sound that has no long-term detrimental effects.

Even further, many studies show that "cracking" doesn't cause nor play a role in the onset of arthritis.

If you feel uneasy when he does this around you, simply tell him so. If he truly cares for you, he can simply get his cracking fix at other times of the day when you are not within earshot of him.

WHY DO SPORTS CONSUME SO MUCH ATTENTION?

DR. WALLACE: My school is all "rah-rah" about our football team but it pays little attention to anything else, like the drama department that I love and enjoy so much.

Why do some schools only seem to focus on sports, especially these days? — Drama Queen, via email

DRAMA QUEEN: I agree with you that the drama, arts and music departments all deserve a higher profile and more attention and funding at most high schools in our country.

Athletic teams are often a boost to the local economy, especially if their sports teams are successful. Sports does teach camaraderie, discipline, sacrifice and teamwork. These are all good things, but of course, these exact same disciplines apply to the arts, and your drama department as well.

The unpredictable nature of a live sports event has its own special magnetism, and this uncertain outcome often draws in many spectators, especially those alumni members who will recall their good old days of playing a similar sport decades ago. It's simply a fact of life that people choose to spend their time where they prefer. Your endeavor is a noble one, and I trust those who attend your events are both well versed in the arts, and loyal followers as well.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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