As a Professional Writer About Music (PWAM), I always dread it when Sarah McLachlan comes to town or releases a new album.

This has nothing to do with whether I enjoy her music - I love the Grammy award-winning "Building a Mystery," for example. Also, in conversation once, McLachlan and I talked happily about dogs for several minutes.

The problem is that "McLachlan" is one of those names that continually throws me a dyslexic curve ball. Similarly, I have great trouble spelling the last name of guitarist John McLaughlin.

My greatest fear is that the two of them will marry and do one of those hyphenated-surname things which would really make it a pain to try to type "Sarah McLaughlin-McLachlan."

(By the way, I've been writing this bet for an hour and seven minutes.)

What's really important, though, is that Sarah McLachlan is on the road and plays the Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday. She has a new album called "Shine On," which, in lovely fashion, continues to demonstrate an uncanny ability to pen and sing gorgeous ballads.

- RICK KOSTER

Sarah McLachlan, 8 p.m. Sunday, Mohegan Sun Arena; $46; 1-888-664-3426.