Back in the early 80's I took a job as a driver at Chicago Messenger Service. My driver number was 753. One

morning within my first few weeks, I was dropping off a package and the guy at the will-call desk is saying

"Hey! I won the lotto! 753!" talking to his co-workers. Big surprise when I tell them that's my driver

number. A few minutes later I'm driving away and there's a limo in front of me and the license plate

was 753. Several more times that day the number popped up and many times over the following weeks.

It tapered off, but never stopped.

I never cared for 'Joseph Gaczol'. People can't pronounce it, it's unmemorable and, worst of all, it doesnt conform

to Nooalf spelling. How can I expect anybody to take Nooalf seriously if my own name violates it? So, in 2003 I

had some spare time and money and decided to finally go thru the hassle of changing it.

For weeks I mulled over all sorts of ordinary names, names of characters from my favorite sifi, completely new

name ideas. Nothing worked. Nothing felt like it fit me. I considered just plain JO, but saw the problems I'd

have filling out forms online - ending up with JO Nosecondname carved into my tombstone by an enterprizing

young funeral home droid in the far flung future. "Found it on a credit card application from 2012!"

Gave up for a while.

It was Saturday, April 5th. The number showed up on something and then it hit me - 'THAT CAN BE MY NAME!!!

Maybe GOD or fate or whatever has been trying to tell me this all along!'

The functional advantages also appeal to me. First, it's very short. When I have to sign my name it saves

alot of time. Second, it fulfills the essential identifier function of a name perfectly because not only are

there are no other JO 753s in the world, there's nothing even close.

I had already researched the law regarding names, but went to the court house legal library to be sure.

Nope. Nothing against numbers. So I went thru the legal process and, much to the chagrin of the judge,

on Friday June 13th 2003 my petition to the court was granted.