P.M. Adamson

Welcome to the P.M. Adamson Blogging area

Hello and welcome. My full name is Peter Michael Adamson. I am a retired Music Teacher having worked in Secondary Schools from 1978-2000, Special Education specialising in Autism from 2001-2013 and part time EBD from 2013-2019. As a Music Teacher I produced many concerts and shows over many years. In 2003 I founded an annual special needs event which became so successful it had to be moved into The Lowry Quays Theatre in Salford involving over 14 Special Needs Schools spread over two concerts. In 2023 the Together Trust took complete control over the Festival and I was no longer compere. It was very disappointing for me but rather than go into deep depression I decided to reinvent myself. I set up my own Festival at Padiham Town Hall in 2024 which despite lots of administrative obstacles went ahead with Live adult performances and children’s groups on film. Padiham Town hall was really encouraging but having funded the event myself I am now hoping to continue the Festival if I can secure funding... Watch this space as the saying goes.

In addition to my Festival activities, I arrange and record traditional folk songs in a variety of styles under the guise of “Keeping the Old Songs Alive” "Hymns and Songs of Faith" and write original songs on a variety of themes. Many of my songs are released on albums via streaming and download sites and on YouTube with accompanying films. I also collaborate with other YouTubers by audio dubbing their uploads, with permission, and have also released these on compilations or YouTube featuring Raymond Crooke, Virginia McJunkin, Dany Rosevear, Tony McGreal, Threelegsoman (aka Tony Archibald) Bob241046 and Danny Lobo among others as well as co-writing collaborations with lyricist Stuart Lewis and Musician Paul Griffin. These can all be found on my YouTube channel and the channels of the collaborators where appropriate. Although much of my time is spent on audio recording and film making (although clip assembling and editing might be a more accurate description) I occasionally perform live such as for my Care Home Concerts / singalongs and other events. I am also a Church Musician doing my bit every Sunday at the local convent.

So, with so much to do why am I starting a blog. Well, there a few reasons. My Family have had enough of my talking and my self-centred nature. Of courses I dispute that but accept they’ve heard it all before. A fellow youtuber suggested I start one because I always have something to talk about with such an involved full life. Furthermore, as an alter-ego called Claim to Fame Man and a career as a Football Referee and Referee instructor I have lots of stories to tell. As a retired Music teacher, I like to think I have enough experience to help others on their journey into creativity and actually enjoy helping and supporting others – once a teacher always a teacher as they say. Finally, at 70 I’ve accepted I won’t be here for ever so a blog is a great way to put down my thoughts, experiences, memories and even opinions although I don’t want to be an influencer as I believe in free will and the Good Lord who is my only real influence. So, if you like Faith, Hope and Charity, Old Songs and original songs then I hope my stories and memories provide interesting reading

This is a first blog and I’m not sure if feedback will happen but over time I’ll delve further and hopefully have some good discussions on the various topics mentioned

Best wishes to everyone who visits the blog for A Happy , Peaceful and a Prosperous 2025

Technology in the Modern World

 One of the joys of ageing is dealing with technology. Like Marmite you either love or hate it. I like to think I embrace it but sometimes it does get the better of me.

It can be useful for improving the quality of life from internet information to a smart home. In contrast however the speed at which things change is a cause for concern. Software upgrades for example are both costly and often unnecessary and the introduction of subscriptions gets the consumer over a barrel. The old adage if it’s not broken don’t fix it clearly does apply to software. Why? I ask myself. It appears to me that the programmers have nothing better to do and constant changing things keeps them in work and forces us to be dependent on them.

On a similar theme the Laws of Association Football are constantly changing. When I played at Amateur Level the Laws were quite clear. If you deliberately handled the ball in the penalty Area it was handball and a penalty. Today no one seems clear on what constitutes handball. With talk of unnatural hand position, it is hardly surprising we are all confused but like the computer programmers the Football authorities have to keep their jobs and need to be seen controlling the game. It also keeps them one step ahead of the pundits who often seem clueless as to what the Referees Instructions are or have been told. Often someone is trying to make a name for themselves by coming up with something different without just cause.

Continuing with technology I was struggling the other day trying to get a hand dryer working at the Motorway services. Last time I went in you placed your hands under the dryer and it switched on automatically. This time it had a strange wing like bar. I pressed it, pushed it. wafted my hands around all to no avail. A passer-by kindly wafted his hand over it and it worked. I have to say leaving the house these days is a bit of an adventure.

Car parking is another area of ageing confusion. I went into a multi-story car park the other day and the barrier went up before I’d stopped to pick up a ticket. Luckily my son in law was with me and explained it photographed the registration plate as I drove in. After my visit paying was a menagerie of scanners, card readers and coin slots. Had I not had the support of my Son-in-law I suspect a large queue would have formed behind me, but I got away with it this time. I have to say though I am I increasingly finding I must apologise for being an old duffer in shops and the like to get a bit of sympathy for my lack of awareness in the changing world.

The Generation Gap

I read  an interesting post today written by a young unemployed person who was having a rant at the privileges that old people get. TheY made some good points and i decided to reply but then thought I'd rather just put my point of view and my response here. The issue rang a bell with me because I'd written a song called The Generation Gap, inspired by The Who's My Generation in the light of ageing. Here's alink to the song on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZvx1GPbOZs

   As I pensioner I take on board a lot of your strong arguments. I have a good pension having worked as a Teacher for many years and into my retirement . However a lot of pensioners do not have good pensions and the state pension is akin to unemployed benefits as I see it. I agree not all jobless people are down and outs. Those people who have struggled to make ends meet on benefits will be in the same boat, unfortunately when they become pensioners, and they will not have the  wonderful life you assume pensioners have.Having paid National Insurance for 37 years those contributions have gone towards the benefits you mention. I don't get a free TV licence as I'm only 70 but I do have a bus pass which is useful for I D. as I don't have a passport. The fuel allowance has now been taken off us and while I can cover that, those on state pension alone will suffer especially as not working keeps you at home all day throughout winter. I would have made donations to charities with any savings with that benefit and many pensioners including myself have several direct debits to various charities including the various requests that come up on daytime T V. through disasters etc. I fully understand your point but being a state only pensioner is not easy and neither is being homeless or unemployed.

The UK is allegedly one of the richest nations in the World but the money we have is not being distributed equally or fairly and there will always be underlying wheeling and dealing which you can call business or corruption but the people at the lower end of the wealth ladder are the ones who foot the bill via their poverty....

I also take on board your comments about the vicious circle of getting a job. In my day we had the Labour Exchange. During my student days I walked in and got a job straight away. i.e.1972-1976.

In 1977 they sent me home and it took 2 days for a telegram to arrive for my next job.In 1978 I was asked if I wanted a job because there was a shortage but if I refused I'd still get the £12 a week unemployment benefit.I decided as I already had a teaching job lined up I'd take the benefit for 6 weeks to allow someone else who needed any jobs that came up. That situation is now long gone and Job seekers allowance sounds like you are left out on a limb to fend for yourself.

If it's any consolation most pensioners I know have a lot of sympathy for the unemployed and appreciate times have changed. I go into a bank and get encouraged to use the hole in the wall. I always, where practical go to a person and the same in the supermarkets because keeping jobs is paramount. I  also think young people fortunate to get jobs struggle with expenses and getting on the property ladder is impossible especially for those with student loans to pay back. Again in the 1970s we had grants for those with low income parents of which I have been eternally grateful.

On the other side of the coin our generation worked hard whereas a lot of those fortunate to get jobs spend time on their phones instead of doing the job they are being paid for which in turn affects the markets and leads to redundencies.Not everyone I hasten to add.

We were told at school there is no substitute for hard work and although I'm not sure that's true anymore with people amassing fortunes on social media by telling people what they pack in their suitcases for their many holidays abroad. It does generally pay off to work hard  if not financially in a rewarding satisfying way.

Regarding hate for job seekers that is sad to hear but they will be the same people who complain when challenging children with Autism go into cafes with their carers and cause a scene. Back in the 70's those children were in institutions so at least some things have improved. It all comes down to attitudes, education and raising awareness of each stratas problems and the tarnishing of people with the same brush. No one should look down on anyone else as we are all subject to bad things at various times in our life, so count your blessings and as my Mum used to tell me, "There's always someone worse off than you " and in the words of a well known song "There but for fortune go you or I" 

Today's World Tomorrow

I composed and produced a concept album which was meant to be futuristic but recent events have suggested to me that it is all coming true. A.I. is taking over along with Fake News, a new world order of Imperialism and war promoted by the biggest powers 

and a decline in Faith structures. Man will never be bigger than God and the old adage pride before a fall is so true. 

In God We trust is a great slogan. Let's hope that isn't in decline as Faith is more important now than at any time in History as the next war may just be the last, as Einstein famously said. I don't know what World War Three will be fought with but World War four will be sticks and stones. 

The theme of Today's World Tomorrow is preservation of the good things in Humanity which are being eroded away.

If you can spare an hour or so here is the link. It was not as scarey when I uploaded it as it has now become.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjM0ptvMz3s