The Drop №. 98 with Evan Seale

VRB’s weekly list of things to read, watch, listen to, and try that have helped us live better and be better. Brought to you this week by Evan Seale.

Chris Voss on Lex Fridman, Episode #364

Chris Voss is a legendary negotiator that spent 24 years with the FBI serving on the hostage and crisis negotiation team. He wrote Never Split the Difference and is an all-around fascinating human. Definitely check out his book if you haven't already; but if you have, this podcast is still worth a listen. Lex is great about letting people talk and guiding the conversation into interesting areas. There is no shortage of topics like that with Chris Voss. Every time I read or listen to this individual I learn something that makes me better.

Black Bird

After a hotshot kid is sentenced to 10 years in prison he's given a second chance at freedom. The terms are, transfer to a maximum security prison, befriend a serial killer, and extract a confession about a particular murder. If he can pull it off, he walks free. Black Bird is an intense remake of the true story of James Keene. If you're feeling withdrawal from The Last of Us, check out Black Bird on Apple TV.

Raising the Dead

Raising the dead is a true story of diver Dave Shaw and his epic attempt to recover the body of Deon Dryer at the bottom of the deepest underwater cave in the world at over 900ft. It's one of the most gripping and tragic stories I've ever read. It highlights our incredible ability as humans to push the boundaries of what's possible and the raw cruelty of nature's vote to push back.

Journify

If you're like me and have struggled to keep a written journal then check out Journify, an app that allows you to save encrypted voice journal entries/notes on the go. It's a great app to start recording your life and how you're feeling - who knows - you might even enjoy sharing it with someone down the road. The benefits of an audio journal is that you can distinguish tone and emotion much faster and with less words. You can go back and listen to yourself and immediately know where your head was at. You can also journal faster and in more situations - in the car, on a walk, etc. Give it a shot if you'd like to start recording more of your life but can't find the power to sit down and write.