As I stood in line to get that pierced parcel post package the other day, I couldn’t help noticing some promotion the post office was doing. There was a huge poster right next to me with this picture. I’m talking about a gigantic and overpowering image!
I found that quite distracting! Whoot! Until I realized that it was Paul Giamatti. I don’t remember Paul Giamatti as being much of a looker, but this picture makes him look handsome! It’s amazing what the right camera angle and some makeup will do. Don’t look at the images of him on-line, especially not this one, or you will be disappointed.
You went and looked, didn’t you!!?? When are you going to learn to listen to me?
Giamatti is playing John Adams in an HBO miniseries that USPS is sponsoring, but I don’t think he looks anything at all like John Adams in that photo. If you follow the link to the promotion page, there are other photos from the movie. Some of those shots show Giamatti looking much more like the real deal.
That miniseries The Power Of The Letter premiers on Sunday, March 16th, and it looks like it will be enthralling. As one of America’s Founding Fathers, John Adams (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826) was George Washington’s Vice President, before being elected the second President of the United States. Without question, his was one of the most powerful voices of American Independence.
The man was a prolific letter writer. He wrote loving letters to his wife, Abigail, as well as letters to his contemporaries (particularly his friend, and rival, Thomas Jefferson) chronicling the birth of our Nation. Many of these precious missives have survived the years. Fortunately, he didn’t have e-mail, or it might have all gotten deleted or sent to the spam box!
This miniseries looks at American History through the story of John Adams. It should be quite interesting, because John Adams was a truly admirable man. What’s not to admire about a man who was a devoted husband, a learned scholar, and who risked everything in the cause of independence? His efforts ensured that you and I have freedom two hundred years later.
Now, I realize that USPS is using this series as self-promotion. Of course, they want to glorify letter writing. They want us to send letters and buy stamps. Yet, I still think it’s admirable that they would sponsor this Tom Hanks produced series. The postal service doesn’t have to work hard to convince me to send letters. I much prefer a handwritten letter over e-mail, as long as I don’t have to stand in line to send it.
Yes, an e-mail can provide instant gratification; just as it demands urgent action! An e-mail also isn’t much of a “keepsake.” A hand written letter is almost a visceral connection to the past; a treasure to cherish. It’s hard to cherish an e-mail.
The Power Of The Letter, based on John Adams’ written correspondence, has potential. I hope it lives up to its hype. I wish I got HBO on my television! Y’all will have to just tell me about it.
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While I do agree wholeheartedly with all you said about the beauty and power of writing/receiving actual letters - as opposed to e-mail - trying to write anything by hand these days tends to be an exercise in futility. I can’t read my own chicken scratch after about five minutes of trying to write, I can never find an envelope, much less a stamp, tend to forget to fold the letter, put it in the envelope I’ve finally found, forget to go buy stamps, put the letter in a pile and promptly forget to mail it too. E-mail works mucho better for me -for openers, all I have to do is click the “send” button and it’s on its merry way -plus thankfully, typing doesn’t get my fingers and hands all cramped up either -plus it is readable and has spell-checker on top of all that!
I understand what you mean about e-mail (and I have the same problem with my poor arthritic hands trying to write). But, I’m really stressed by e-mail. I also don’t like being able to hit “send” before I have thoroughly considered what I intended to say! And, oh I love to get a letter in the mail…that isn’t a bill!
I, like Jeni, love the handwritten letter but I can’t seem to break my email habit. It’s become just too convenient. That said I do still appreciate the art of letter-writing, and I greatly admire anyone who finds that they can write letters on a regular basis. I actually wrote a post on this not that long ago, which you can find here, if you’re interested: http://tinyurl.com/2h43dw
PS Loving all the new extras on your blog, Shelly, and thanks so much for the link to the Ever-Increasing Circles post!
amypalko’s last blog post..Dear Mum,