Showing that I can (occasionally) learn from my own mistakes, I headed straight to the doctor's office today instead of waiting the standard week-or-so (just in case I'm just imagining things, etc.), and got both bad news and less-bad news. The bad news: I've got another throat infection and am going to miss a week of work. The less-bad: they figured out why I'm catching so many of them, and it's because of my tonsils. Apparently, if I don't have my tonsils out, I'll just keep on catching these infections every time I come down with a cold or a sore throat. So I'm being referred to the local hospital for a tonsilectomy.

So. Not good news (by a long shot), but at least it's good to find out why I keep on getting sick. And what with the typical NHS schedules, it'll be at least 6 weeks before I have to face the actual prospect of (very minor) surgery.

Still, I was pretty depressed this morning. What cheered me up beyond measure was that I finally--after years of hearing it recommended--looked up Ellen Kushner's radio program Sound and Spirit online. Ellen Kushner has been one of my writing idols ever since I was a teenager, but I'd never heard her radio show. It turns out that now you can listen online to her broadcasts, using RealPlayer, and the second program I saw listed, when I clicked to the page, was called: "Out of Finland" (November 6, 2005). Whoa. Those of you who know me well--and know my complete and unreasoning passion for Scandinavian music--will know how ecstatic this made me.

Then I listened to the program, and it was even better and more fun than I'd expected. It included songs from groups I already love, like Hedningarna (aka, "The Best Band In The World") and Wimme, but also several groups I'd never even heard of, like Loituma, whose CDs I now Must Have! And, better yet, she interspersed the music with readings and retellings of stories from the Kalevala. I was in bliss. I'm now planning to listen to as many more of the programs as I can in my week off, and I'm feeling much less depressive about having to spend most of my time lying on the couch.

And plus...I just can't imagine music and stories more stimulating for writing, at least for me! Much joy.

So now I'm going to take another look at Chapter Thirteen, while lying on the couch, and see what I can make my tired brain come up with. I'll be listening to my latest-purchased Hedningarna album, "Kaksi!", while I do it. :)