The Adventures of Japangela- Volume 1: The Medical Check

     This year has been wonderful, there have been so many surprise twists and turns that I just have to sit back in awe sometimes. My moving to Japan is one of those wonderful surprises.

      In September, I switched careers, moved to Detroit, and became a Transmission Controls Engineer for a Japanese company. I primarily work as a program manager for CVT programs. Around January, the company decided to send me to Japan on a 1 year long training trip. How awesome is that??? Not only do I get to visit Japan, but I get to LIVE her for a full year! Of course, I slapped on my poker face and very calmly agreed that if this is what the company feels is best, I am willing to leave everything I know, and move overseas for 365 days. Once I got home though, I called everyone I had ever met to squeal like a little girl. My friend Sarah started calling me Japangela and a few people suggested that I start blogging about my experience.

      So far, Japan is a wonderful country to live in. The people are very nice and incredibly patient with the fact that I speak very little Japanese. But, I am completely American, so sometimes, I run into situations that are a little, funny and/or awkward, which brings me to the story of my medical check.....

       Every fiscal year, the Japan office of my company has a medical check. I expected this to be a lot like those sports physicals we had to take in school. (Hi, how are you feeling? Turn your head and cough. That sort of thing) I was in for a big surprise! My medical check consisted of 8 parts:

1.  Hearing Test
2. Waist Measure
3. Electrocardiogram
4. Eye Test
5. Blood Pressure
6. Blood Test
7. Health Interview
8. Chest X-Ray

      Everything started off fine, I had a very nice lady from my office walking around with me to translate any instructions or feedback I was given, I wasn't deaf or blind. Life was good. Then, I walk in for the electrocardiogram. #1, no one told me what I was walking behind the screen for. All I knew was I walked into an enclosed area, a short tempered old lady barked some orders in Japanese,  (apparently, unhook your bra and lay on the table) and my very kind translator lady ran away! I was all alone when the dragon lady come over, jerks my chest from the loosened holding place and starts yelling at me! Like, what can I do woman? At this point all I can do is yell, " I don't know what's going on, but I don't like it!" At which point, my translator lady sticks her head around the curtain to tell me, "she wants you to stop chewing your gum now". *chew chew chew, FREEZE* Oh.... Next, was my blood pressure test, that sucker was high!!! We had a good laugh about it later, but wow. For the rest of the trip, I was begging my co-worker not to leave me again. Apparently, she was trying to preserve my modesty by leaving, as was the dragon lady, by placing a washcloth over my bosom for the electrocardiogram.... The fact that prior to applying said washcloth, the dragon lady manhandled said bosom, was never mentioned though. :/

    So, lesson for today, be prepared for a little rough handling if you ever find yourself entered into a Japanese Company Medical check. Good Night!

Jane Austen Diaries

Pride and Popularity

Author : Jenni James

Release Date : August 3, 2011

Taylor always gets what he wants until now ....

       Chloe Elizabeth Hart despises the conceited antics of the popular crowd, or more importantly, one very annoying self-possessed guy, Taylor Anderson, who seems determined to make her the president of his fan club! As if! Every girl in the whole city of Farmington, New Mexico, is in love with him, but he seems to be only interested in Chloe. This modern high school adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is a battle of wits as Chloe desperately tries to remain the only girl who can avoid the inevitable falling for Taylor.

Northanger Alibi

Release Date : January 31, 2012

Sometimes a guy IS even better than you imagined ...

       The Russo Family and Seattle, Washington, Are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy Knowledge of all Things Vampire-related. Thanks to her Obsession with the Twilight Series, if anyone There IS who would know a Vampire WHEN She saw One, it's Claire and She's positive totally Hot Tony Russo IS a Vampire -.!. She just HAS to prove it. In this Modern Retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, follow Claire's Hilarious Journey on her first Summer Adventure away from home, where She Learns Everything Is not what is seems, and that in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.

Persuaded

Release Date : July 17, 2012

Will he take her back, or fling her aside like she deserves?

Three years ago, Amanda made ​​the Biggest Mistake of her Life. She let her  Friends Persuade her to REJECT the guy She loved. They Were convinced he WAS a Loser and wasn ¹ t good enough for her.  Now Gregory ¹ s back in farmington ... Taller, stronger, hotter than ever,  and worth Millions. gorgeous Those who Snubbed Girls Are Now Before him  falling at his feetCan he See Past the Pain Caused him and Amanda Give her a Second Chance? Or  She Will Forever Regret Losing the only guy who truly loved her?

Emmalee

Release Date : December 28, 2012

Sometimes love IS Blind. 

       Emmalee Bradford thinks She's an Expert at matchmaking, and She Will not rest until all her Friends Are as happy as She IS. Especially Hannah, the girl She's Decided to make popular. Everyone Loves Emmalee's Advice-everyone, That IS, except her Annoying neighbor Chase Anderson, who HAS taken it upon himself to "fix" her. This Modern version of Jane Austen's Emma IS the Hilarious Journey of a girl who Believes She Knows all about love. But WHEN it Comes to Recognizing the Perfect guy for her, Emmalee is absolutely clueless.

Mansfield Ranch

Release Date : December 25, 2013

Does true love really PREVAIL?  

       All Lilly Price HAS ever known IS Living in the Shadow of her Widely successful foster Family. WHEN But a twist of fate Deals Lilly the hand of Harrison Crawford, the most popular guy in Bloomfield, NM, flips Everything Upside down. Sean Benally IS a hard worker, he's Funny, he's generous, and he's kind. He's Also the most amazing guy Lilly HAS ever known. And She's totally fallen in love with him. But he's her foster Brother ...  Now She MUST choose Between the unavailable love of her life-or the guy who promises to be available forever.

    Being in Japan, I find that I have been reading a lot more lately. Sadly, the number of books available that I can actually read is extremely limited, so my e-reader is kind of my lifeline, and running out of books while away from an internet connection is especially tragic. On a particularly rainy sunday, I experienced this exact brand of heartache, and decided to search for some new ones at the coffee shop near the station. There is free wi-fi, tasty white chocolate mochas, and I can purchase the means to feed my book addiction in peace, but where to start? I'm not going to lie, since leaving the book store and entering first the teaching field, and now the engineering one, I have fallen out of touch with the literary community. What are the kids reading these days? Is there anything good out, I had no idea, so I just started poking around in the "free" and $ 2.99 book sections. I started by looking for fairy tale adaptations (found some pretty good ones, too) the I saw "Pride and Popularity" and the everything just fell into place.

    Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite books, even though it is written in super old English, I can sit and read that book over and over again without ever getting tired of Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy. So, finding an adaptation of this much beloved novel, I decided to give it a try, beside at $ 4.99 / book the series showed promise from the get go. I DEVOURED this book. There isn't a single part of this book that I can single out as a particular highlight. I started reading around 4 in the afternoon, and could not put it down until the very last page was turned around 1am Monday morning. (Did I mention that i had to wake up for work at 4am? Yes, it was that good). The next day, I needed ANOTHER new book, and I knew exactly where to find it. I went directly to "Northanger Alibi", "Persuaded", "Emmalee", and "Mansfield Ranch." I read every single one cover to cover in one go. I couldn't put them down. When I finished "Mansfield Ranch" and found out the next book, "Sensible and Sensational" was not due out until December, I think I died a little inside. I wasn 't ready to leave Farmington and all of the characters that I have grown to love so much. What wasI going to do until December????? This was as bad as a breakup! After a good long cry and a carton full of ice cream, I did the only thing I COULD do. Find a book that looked an awful lot like the ones that just broke up with me. So, I am now happily on my 4th Jane Austen novel and we've never been happier .

     .I highly recommend this series I loved getting to know these characters and joining their incredible journeys: Falling in love with them, laughing with them, crying with them, I just couldn't get enough They brought Ms Austen alive for me in a whole new way, and I can't say enough about them. But don't just take my word for it. See for yourself! Each book can stand alone, they may reference the others, but the story lines don't depend on one another. Happy Reading!

The Return 2014

HI!!!

I'm back! When I originally started this blog, I was really excited to have the chance to share my wonderful reading experience with the world.

Unfortunately, the blog got away from me, and I failed to pick back up again until now.

Since last I typed, I have started yet another new career, and moved to Hon-Atsugi, Japan. I am really excited to share all of the new experiences with everyone, and hopefully, talk about some really good books along the way.

 

Unspoken
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Release Date: September 11, 2012

    Kami Glass is in love with someone she's never met—a boy she's talked to in her head since she was born. This has made her an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, but she has learned ways to turn that to her advantage. Her life seems to be in order, until disturbing events begin to occur. There has been screaming in the woods and the manor overlooking the town has lit up for the first time in 10 years. . . . The Lynburn family, who ruled the town a generation ago and who all left without warning, have returned. Now Kami can see that the town she has known and loved all her life is hiding a multitude of secrets—and a murderer. The key to it all just might be the boy in her head. The boy she thought was imaginary is real, and definitely and deliciously dangerous.

    Kami is a reporter, a real one, she brings the news to the people no matter what. At least, that is her goal. She recruits her best friend, finds an office at school, and begins to report on anything and everything she can find. The sad part is, nothing truly interesting ever seems to happen in Sorry-in-the-Vale. The town has no deep, dark secrets! What kind of town has no secrets?!?!?!? Then again, there is an old nursery rhyme about the secret of the Lynburn family? And don't all those rhymes have some basis in the truth? Does anyone remember ring around the rosie?

  

   Whatever the secret is, no one is telling. The most interesting part is, even though the Lynburns have been gone for years, everyone seems to be AFRAID to say anything. What family secret could be big enough to scare an entire town? Luckily, the Lynburns seem to have come back, and Kami is going straight to the source! But the answers may be closer to home than Kami ever could have imagined....

   During her investigation, Kami learns more than she ever bargained for when she discovers that "the other" Lynburn boy is in fact her life long "imaginary" friend. That's right, he is real, and he has his own life, his own thoughts and his own feelings! Together, these two uncover the Lynburn's mysteries and make a few new friends and more than a few enemies along the way.

   This book was a super quick read. I was hooked almost immediately! Be warned though, this book will rip your heart out and threaten to stomp on it, but you couldn't stop me from reading it again for the world. Can't wait to see what book 2 has to offer! 



Spirit Fighter

Author: Jerel Law

Release Date: April 3, 2012

What if Nephilim-the children of angels and men-still walked the earth? And their very presence put the entire world in danger? In Spirit Fighter, Jonah and Eliza Stone learn that their mother is a Nephilim and that they have special powers as quarter-angels. When their mom is kidnapped by fallen angels, they must use those powers to save her. Along the way, they discover that there is a very real and dangerous war going on between good and evil and that God has a big part for them to play in that war.

    The nephilim were supposed to be these terrible beasts who came about when Angels lusted after the daughters of man. They were supposed to have been long since erased from the Earth allowing man to lead a more peaceful existence, but what if this weren't entirely true? What if those offspring still roamed the Earth, unnoticed by man, and producing "quarterling" offspring of their own? This is where the story of Jonah and Eliza Stone begins. When their mother is kidnapped by dark forces for reasons unknown, the Stone kids learn that she was Nephilim and God has assigned them the task of retrieving her before Lucifer's plan be realized.

 

     Armed with faith and a few angelic talents, the children set off on a perilous journey. Along the way, these two are faced with obstacles that many of us battle everyday, and voice some very real questions. "Why would a loving God allow so much pain?" "Where is He when I need him most?" "How can such a small person create the kind of change that He seems to expect of me?" With the guidance of a Guardian Angel, the children find all of there answers and more in scripture. They learn just how powerful faith can be. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." This is the first book in a new series which is meant to bring the bible to a younger generation in a new and exciting manner.

 

     I LOVED this book, I feel that it would truly help children to learn about God's love and help them to understand the spiritual side of the world more than simply memorizing scripture ever could by simply providing a context. Children can relate to the main characters and their challenges, and will of course be more receptive to the lessons the novel has to offer. Who knows, maybe it will inspire a few to pick up the good book now and I again. I know I had mine by my side the whole time! ;)

 
          

The Enchanted Attic: Facing the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Author: L.L. Samson

Release Date: May 1, 2012

   A hidden attic. A classic story. A very unexpected twist. Twin twelve-year-old bookworms Ophelia and Linus Easterday discover a hidden attic that once belonged to a mad scientist. While relaxing in the attic and enjoying her latest book, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Ophelia dozes off, and within moments finds herself facing a fully alive and completely bewildered Quasimodo. Ophelia and Linus team up with a clever neighbor, a hippy priest, and a college custodian, learning Quasimodo's story while searching for some way to get him back home—if he can survive long enough in the modern world.

   Ophelia and Linus have TERRIBLE parents, they barely even pay attention to their 14 year-old twins. The Drs. Easterday are perfectly happy spending all of their time on field research and leaving the children with various care takers. This time, the twins have been sentenced to 5 years with their elderly great aunt and uncle (also twins).  5 WHOLE YEARS!!!! One day, the twins discover a strange attic and this is where the story truly begins.

    I loved this book! The author's style kind of reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate events, where the narrator actually adds a little of his thoughts and insights as he "writes" the story. Unlike Mr. Snickett, the definitions do not actually take the reader back out of the story. They are thrown in as part of the context and seem to follow along with the flow of the story. The author even adds in a few literary devices and writing tools. I loved him as much as I loved the story's main characters. I highly recommend this book for someone who is trying to introduce a younger audience to classic literature, or that Lemony Snickett fan who is looking for something a little less depressing to read. 4.5 stars for sure!

   Being a kid's book, the story itself was a short read of around 140 pages. I was never bored with the story line, and I mostly felt fulfilled. I just want to find out what happened with Quasimodo. Did his story change? Did his life turn out as tragic as Victor Hugo originally wrote it to be? I can only keep my fingers crossed that the children will see him again in a future adventure!



  
   After their adventure with Quasi, the twins and Walter are a little wiser about the attic and it's mysterious circle and ready to take on a new adventure. Armed with a little more knowledge about the mad scientist's lab, the children plan to pull Captain Ahab from the pages of Herman Melville's classic and rehabilitate him a bit. The next installment promises to be a whale of a tale, and is scheduled for a September 2012 release!

   Well, why are you still sitting there reading this review? GET TO THE STORE, NOW!!!!





Lies Beneath

Author: Anne Greenwood Brown

Release Date: 12 June 2012

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistable good looks and charm on ususpecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

    Honestly, I am not sure how I felt about this book. The story had potential, but Calder honestly creeped me out. It definitely did depict how a merperson could be out of touch with human emotions and social norms, but as a main character, I didn't love him.

 

    I did enjoy that the story was different. In a sea of sugary sweet were-fallen-vampire stories, Lies Beneath is a much needed Oasis. A story about the horrors of the deep instead of the great beyond. These monsters don't just bump in the night, they lay in wait for you everytime you plunge into the murky depths.

 

   While reading, I felt Calder's emotions. I felt out of touch, isolated, strange, obsessed. Oh, the obsession was unreal. She also kept me guessing until the very end. I thought I saw where the story was going, and I did predict some things, but there was enough mystery to keep the story alive for me.

 

    I wouldn't recommend this story as a beach read, you'd never get in the water. And flirting with that REALLY cute guy? Forget about it, Calder will ensure you NEVER judge a book by it's cover again (figuratively speaking anyway....)  But with summer coming up, this book is perfect to curl up with on those rainy days, or next to the pool (a nice, controlled aquatic environment). Good luck, dear reader, and post your thoughts on the story! Just because a story doesn't knock my socks off, doesn't mean it won't do it for you! :D Happy reading!