My copy of [Open Up] was purchased at a Tower Records store in Aiea, Hawaii. It isn't uncommon for an American Tower Records store to carry Japanese CDs since a large percentage of Hawaii's population are of Japanese ancestry. However, it doesn't imply that most people purchase Japanese CDs at Tower Records.

One night in 1995, perhaps some time in the summer, I was there with my eldest sister, browsing around the JPOP section. I've been listening to JPOP for a while, and a good friend of mine got me into Uchida Yuki's songs. Therefore I was actually looking for Uchida Yuki's debut album, released February that year. Eventually, I found the album that I wanted, priced at about US $23~ Compared with other CDs, it was really expensive (but we all know that Japanese stuff is inevitably expensive). However, it was actually really cheap, taken into consideration the yen-dollar currency rate at that time. Normally Japanese albums are priced at 3,059 yen, about US $27 at current rate. Anyhow, I decided to buy it. In the midst of my decision, my sister came up to me with an album. I took a look, and my first impression was, "Hmm... Sandy Lam has a Japanese album?!" (I wasn't very knowledgeable about Sandy. I enjoyed listening and singing her songs, but she hadn't yet made an impact on me.) I also thought that Sandy looked natural and cute on the cover. [Open Up] was also priced at $23. My sister asked me, "Should I get this album?" I was a bit surprised that she asked, because she considered purchasing an album for which she had no knowledge of in terms of quality of the songs. Not to mention that she didn't listen to Japanese songs at all. But I figure that she thought about getting it because she had heard "Love, Sandy" earlier that year, and therefore was interested in "Open Up." I replied her, "Well, buy it if you really want to." After a short moment of indecision factored by its price, she nevertheless bought it. That night we both returned home with the CD of our choice.

As soon as we got home we opened our CDs. She began playing [Open Up]. Honestly, we were not really impressed. I think I wasn't really paying attention. I saw disappointment in my sister's face. I don't really remember what I was thinking, but nothing more was discussed regarding the album. [Open Up] remained in my sister's possession until my attitude and feelings toward Sandy's music took a dramatic turn.

The dramatic turn is too emotional and elaborative, so I'll just focus on how I eventually held [Open Up] into my possession and has since then kept it with me. After my dramatic realization, I asked my sister to lend me [Open Up]. She wondered why I was interested. I don't remember how I responded. On second try more than a year later... I fell in love with the album. Perhaps it was also because I've begun to broaden my musical perspective. I love the acid-jazz elements in the songs. I didn't want to return the CD. By then I've discovered how rare it is to find a copy of [Open Up] even in Japan. I felt really lucky... and in a sense, overwhelmed by fate. If I wasn't in the right place at the right time with the right person, I would've never been engrossed by this album.

After some unknown length of time, I asked my sister if she could be nice and give me the album, since I knew she didn't really care for it. She thought about it and responded with a witty look, "OK, but in return you'd have to give me your No Doubt CD" (I was responsible for her indulgence in No Doubt's [Tragic Kingdom]). Wow~! What a deal~! I immediately agreed. Afterall, she was happy, and I was *extremely* happy.

revised 16 feb 2001