For 2022, Whalebone has teamed up with Graduate Hotels, beautifully designed places to stay in college towns across the US, to bring our audiences four in-person event experiences at select Graduate locations. Aptly named “The Extra Credit Series”—these events coincide with some better-than-good Whalebone Magazine issue themes for the year: Comedy, Photography, National Parks, and Dolly Parton—each event is tailored to a theme and will impart a little knowledge, a few laughs, and hopefully, a good time had by all.
The Third edition of Extra Credit took place at The Graduate Berkeley (that’s in California, friends).
Graduate happens to be the place to stay if you’re formative years—college etc. So what better place to understand a little bit more about what it means to get back to the wilderness? In triangulation with Fjällräven, Whalebone created a documentary-style film featuring explorer J.R. Harris. To celebrate, Whalebone x Graduate Hotels hosted a film viewing and Q+A session, with J.R. himself.
As for the conversation, well we took the liberty of asking J.R. a couple of questions for posterity. A brief conversation between Whalebone and The Red Hat Man.
Whalebone: The best part of being a part of The Explorers Club?
J.R.: Sharing the excitement and adventure of learning something new with colleagues who understand and share that excitement.
Whalebone: How can we encourage everyone to explore more?
J.R.: By promoting the benefits and the satisfaction one gains by being curious enough to find answers to existing questions.
Whalebone: Who would you recommend as Earth’s ambassador to space?
J.R.: Any kid who has a dream or a vision of what role space will play in the future.
Whalebone: That one song that if you hear it will never leave your head?
J.R.: That one’s easy…” Truckin’” by the Grateful Dead. I’ve heard it often and it’s never left.
Whalebone: Something you’re looking forward to?
J.R.: Tomorrow morning. Every day is an opportunity to enhance existing perspectives and gain new ones.
