I hate it! I was going to change my friendster URL into friendster.com/tomats. But then it was already taken. When I checked the profile, its of a guy named Matthew. Hano?!? How could Matthew be Tomats?? Ano yon, Tomatthew?? Hanlayo! E ako, Tami = Tomats. Mas malayo. heheh. fine. iibahin ko na nga lang pangalan ko. hmp. =(

Anyway, since we're on the topic of names, here are the other names I've gone by mula noon hanggang sa ngayon:

Gaotami
Gao
Tami
Tamiboo
Tamski
Tamitams
Tamiboi
Tams
Tam
Tomas
Tomat
Tomats
Imat
Imatation

And here are some names, I've been mistakenly called by, usually in proposals sent by suppliers and restaurants:

Pami
Pammy
Tammy
Tamia Bella
Tummy Avelia (I swear!)
Abella (I swear! - mga Vietnamese hotel contacts)

Wala lang. I've always been fortunate to have such a unique sounding name - Gaotami. Because of it, I've never run out of ice breakers and conversations, especially in interviews.

Person: Hi, what's your name?
Tami: Tami
Person: Ano yung full name mo?
Tami: Gaotami (naka-smile, anticipating the follow up question)
Person (kumagat sa follow up question): WOW! (mamimilog ang mata) ang ganda naman ng name mo! San mo nakuha yun?
Tami: From India, its a Sanskrit name (smile ng mas malaki) Female name of Gautama [Buddha] (I add kung gusto kong magpacute)
Person: Ah.. wow... anong ibig sabihin nun?
Tami: ummm.. One who has control over her senses. (Smiles bashfully. Nahihiya pa kunyari. hehe)

- Two seconds of dead air while Person digests what it means -

Person: Ahh... wow, ang ganda naman. Bakit yan ang pinangalan sa yo?
Tami: Kasi my family practices Yoga. (Segue into another topic. Yes!) So lahat kaming magkakapatid, puro Sanskrit ang pangalan.
Person: Really? Ilan ba kayong magkakapatid, ano names nila?
Tami: (Simula sa panganay) Anjani, Ambhika, Raj and DD. (Minsan ipapaspell pa. And kung napansin, ipapa-elaborate kung ano ang full name ni DD, which is Dayavati Devi)
Person: hmm... interesting ah.. (kumikinang ang mata with a big smile)

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So I, One who has control over her senses, got off to a slightly bad start this morning. I slept late last night, around 2 AM, feeling all inspired with recent stuff I've been thinking about. So I woke up a bit dazed and in a hurry to go through my usual morning routine. I left the house at 7.40 am, which I figured still gave me ample time to go to the FX terminal, catch a ride and get to the office before 9.10 am. (I've been coming in late for about a month now, and nahihiya na akow!). Anyway, when I got to the terminal, there was already a queue equivalent to two vans. Meaning, I'd have to wait for the third van/fx to arrive before I could leave the terminal. So keeping my cool, I put on some music and prayed desperately to God na bilisan ang pagdating ng mga sasakyan. Hehe Fortunately, after only less than five minutes, Van #1 came, followed shortly by FX #2. When both vehicles were all boarded, I was left third in the queue. I was pretty happy knowing that I get to pick a spot in the FX when it arrives. And then my fated van came into view at 7.50 am - Nyehehehe! I'll say to my bundy clock!

At that time, Van #1 had already left the terminal, and FX #2 is currently being 'processed' (i.e. sinisingil ang mga pasahero ng bayad.) E sa kabagalan umalis sa terminal ng FX #2, nagsimula nang magpasakay ang Van #3 habang nandun si FX #2. Picture this: Kaming nasa unahan ng queue ay medyo in line with FX #2. Therefore, ang in line with Van #3 ay ang mga tao sa likod ko. Nang ibigay ni manong ang hudyat sa pwede nang sumakay, aba'y mas mabilis pa sa Amazing Race na bumaluktot ang aming queue and people just started opening the Van's doors. And unang dalawang tao sa harapan ko, ewan ko kung pano umabot sa front seat ng Van. Yung mga tao immediately behind me, e nauna nang sumakay dun sa first row ng seats behind the driver's seat. Hello??? Hindi ako ghost! Tatluhan pa naman ang row na yun, so I was really counting on getting a seat there. Its more comfortable syempre than an Apatan seat kasi hindi kayo siksikan. (All right, Terminal Moment and Lingo ito. Pagbigyan niyo na ako. =D) So imagine my dismay, na dapat e first come first served ang pagpili ng seats, pumila naman din ako for 10 minutes ano! Only to find myself ending up either sitting in the back row (na I don’t do, kasi ako ang usually unang bumababa, dahil sa Fort lang ako, while the rest of the Van's passengers get off somewhere along Ayala Ave, at ayokong istorbohin ang ibang pasahero when I get off), or on the second to the last row, where the only seats left were [a] beside the window (na inangkin ng isang guy sa likod ko, na hindi ko alam why I didn’t insist on it when he asked me after niya angkinin if I had wanted that seat) and [b] the infamous seat na nilalagyan na lang ng unan as makeshift cushion kasi hindi naman talaga nauupuan yun dahil yun lang ang connector from the dalawahan seat and the extra/aisle seat sa isang van.

This already happened to me a few times before, and as always, I took the infamous seat, na hindi man lang ako masasandal kasi hindi pantay yung magkabilang sides na inuupuan ko, and prepared myself for a loooong ride. I was so blazing angry na naman, soooo early in the morning. I was so mad, I kept shifting my position so as not to come into contact with the people on either side of me, as everytime we bump skins, I get angrier and angrier. I was listening to BEPs at that time, and turned it up full volume - my usual mature response in situations like that. I tried to calm myself down, reasoning with myself that I had the opportunity naman to fight for my seat (after all, it IS Independence Day). At times, I succeeded in relaxing, but then I would think that I may be abusing myself into always putting other people's needs before mine. All of a sudden, 'Where is the Love' played.

And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

So yun, I found myself smiling at the silliness of it all. Of getting worked up over such a small thing as someone else taking your seat. And its not as if it was snatched from under your nose - you had the chance to take it back in a nice way, but you didn't. Last week, on my way home naman, an FX driver and one of the passengers got into a very heated argument over Php 5. To the point where the driver fumbled around the cambio and we heard some metal brushing against metal. At which time, the really smart (i-wanna-whack-you-in-the-head) guy beside me said, "Manong, sige itabi mo muna yung sasakyan. Magsapakan kayo." I was so shocked! nangbuyo pa, e pano kung binabaan nga nung driver yung pasahero! Fortunately, the driver took this positively so he kept quiet the rest of the way, yun lang, when the passenger he was angry with got off, the driver really waited to see where the man would go, so he'll know presumably where the guy lives if ever.. basta ganon. Goodness gracious... Spread the Love man!

So ang motto ko ngayon, to keep my temper from rising is: Where is the Love. Where is the Love. Where is the Love. The Love. The Love.

Saved by the BEPs.

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Happy Independence Day!