Sheldon, many of the regulars here believe in taking your time and stretching in ways that will not harm their ears. I actually started reading these boards before I started stretching and am very glad that I did. I might otherwise have completely screwed my ears up.
So... when folks hear of people making these major leaps and bounds in size over very short periods of times.. they hold their lobies to assure them that they would never be so callous with them.