4 Magnificent Summer Musings

, ,
path sand summer musings books

4 Magnificent Summer Musings.

What are you listening to and reading this summer?

Below you’ll find some current and forthcoming reading. I’ve also included a few albums I’m enjoying.

Have a great summer!

Summer Musings & Readings

summer musings reading

Photos collage by Rotana Ty


River of Time by Jon Swain (Kindle)

To know better my South Asian roots: Cambodian and Vietnamese. Through the lens of an English journalist who lived and worked in those countries. Read more.

Ask for the Moon by Meredith Lewis (paperback)

To dive into innovation, kung-fu movies and the writing of Meredith Lewis, an Australian node in my network I met in 2021 remotely.

The Right Question by Meredith Lewis (ebook)

“A collection of provocations designed to help you to reflect deeply on your creative identity and practice.” – Meredith Lewis


Range by David Epstein (Kindle)

To dive into the topic of generalism after exploring neo-generalism. Read more.

Intentional by David Amerland (paperback)

I’ve read the book and wrote down some notes after the prompts/questions the author nudges the reader to answer to work on ourselves. Then, I review them and will reread the book.

Hell Yeah or No by Derek Sivers (ebook)

I enjoy reading the blog posts of Derek Sivers, hearing his podcast and sometimes chatting via email with him. I intend to read this book: Hell Yeah or No, and his latest one: How to Live.

Imaginable by Jane McGonigal (Audible)

As a member of the global community of ‘Urgent Optimists,’ I hear the audiobook along with my exploration of the community and its learning program, events and members.

The Carbon Almanac (ebook)

I discovered the book through a fellow Perpetual Beta Coffee Club member: Cat Barnard. I intend to hear the book and read the educator’s guide on the website.

The Perpetual Beta Series by Harold Jarche (ebooks)

“actionable insights on learning and working in a digitally networked society

The perpetual beta series began in 2014 as four standalone digital volumes, following my first ten years of blogging. The changing nature of work and our evolving perspectives on learning and knowledge were the core themes. These were combined into a single volume in 2018 and have been edited and updated about every 18 months since.

This latest volume — Perpetual Beta 2022 — builds on Perpetual Beta 2020 and includes new work since August 2020.

As we enter the third year of a global pandemic we are seeing the forces of disease, climate change, and political polarization combine and batter our markets and institutions. It will only be as a global networked society that we will be able to address these forces.

Welcome to life in perpetual beta, where work is learning, and learning is the work.” — Harold Jarche


The State of Community Management 2022 by The Community Roundtable (ebook)

The Community Roundtable sent the invite to download the report in my inbox. I intend to read it carefully and check out the webinar TheCR will host this June to discuss their findings and research.

The NEW Community Manager Handbook by The Community Roundtable (ebook)

“When you download The NEW Community Manager Handbook you’ll explore meaningful community management topics with 21 passionate community builders.” — @_shannonabram @TheCR


Dare to Un-lead by Céline Schillinger (Kindle)

“In this book Céline goes deep and develops well-researched explorations of the social turmoil of our times, linking its sources to the increasing atomisation in our modern societies and to yesterday’s and today’s workplace engagement challenges – why we work and how we work, and how it is all led and managed, or not.

She has studied the issues at depth and synthesises them extremely well into an inspiring framework underpinned by the three pillars of French democracy – liberté, fraternité et égalité

She has earned her wisdom and my deep respect.” Jon Husband


Summer Musical Musings

summer musings music playlist

Photos collage by Rotana Ty

Keys by Alicia Keys

55.4 by Sly Johnson

Persona by Selah Sue

Rêvalité by M

Mama Forgot Her Name Was Miracle by Mélissa Laveaux

Ghosts On Tape by Blood Red Shoes

Fear Of The Dawn by Jack White

Summer Artful Musings: Exhibits


Exhibit ‘City, Architecture & Care’ by Cynthia Fleury at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal, Paris

I heard for the first time about Cynthia Fleury through a multidisciplinary and creative learning program I participated in in 2018. When I arrived at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal – second floor – I saw her name on the wall and recalled who she was as I read the introductory description of the exhibit.

The setting and the scene she put in place in a rectangular way and many corners and per theme make the whole experience a lovely artful, and pedagogical one. Moreover, it is informative, full of explanations, maps, photography, archives, graphs and quotes from specialists.

In the context of the pandemic, it is an important work to help us rethink spaces, living, working, playing and third spaces, life and death, hospitals, gardens and even boats in their purpose and usages. Her craft and art with fellow artists and experts are for the societal memory of the local and big shifts citizens encountered and coped with. Here are some shots I took as I wandered into the exhibit.

summer musings pavillon arsenal exhibit city archictecture care

Photos collage by Rotana Ty


Exhibit In the Banlieues: Oakland/Saint-Denis at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal, Paris

The second most significant exhibit is about two cities: Oakland, USA, and Saint-Denis, France. I enjoyed the artful transmedia experience with the similarities and diversity between the two unique cities. From street art, music influences, artful spots, festivals, history of inhabitants, lifestyles and societal movements, to name a few, that caught my eyes. Check out below some photos.

summer musings pavillon arsenal exhibit cities

Photos collage by Rotana Ty


Foundation Louis Vuitton, Paris

I went again on a Sunny day to one of my favourite places in Paris, the Foundation Louis Vuitton, which is at the intersection of elegance, architecture and contemporary art. My first time in this building was six years ago. Yet, I felt that this spot still has something unique and magnificent each time I enter the building, wandering over exhibits, around and outside the foundation, especially in the Jardin de l’Acclimatation.

summer musings foundation architecture

Photos collage by Rotana Ty


Exhibit Fugues in Color at Foundation Louis Vuitton, Paris

Fugues in Color” will present works through which paint is free to escape the limited scope of the canvas. Colours and shapes discover new freedoms as they consume the surrounding spaces, such as the walls, floor, and ceiling. The diverse variations of colour extend into the architecture in close interaction with the Frank Gehry-designed building, and include works by five internationally-renowned artists of various origins and generations.

The Fondation will present simultaneously the “Simon Hantaï – The Centenary Exhibition” from 18 May 2022.

The first exhibit I visited was about forms, flows, fluidity, fastness and breaking free. I enjoyed it very much.

summer musings Fugues in Colors

Photos collage by Rotana Ty


Exhibit Simon Hantaï. The Centenary Exhibition at Foundation Louis Vuitton, Paris

“To celebrate the centenary of Simon Hantaï’s birth (1922-2008), the Fondation is organising an unprecedented retrospective exhibition, in collaboration with the Hantaï family, curated by Anne Baldassari. It includes more than 130 of Simon Hantaï’s works, many of which have never before been shown, and the majority of which are large format works from 1957 to 2000.

Simultaneously, the Fondation will present “Fugues in Color” exhibition, in which paint is free to escape the limited scope of the canvas.”

I enjoyed the second exhibit crowded, hypnotic, intriguing, all about patterns and colourful again.

summer musings Simon Hantai

Photos collage by Rotana Ty

Summer & Atemporal Musings

Did you enjoy this post? Check out the Tapestry Book.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *