Pullbox Issue 25

Listen:
Mix Master Mike returns with another mixtape that makes you say "goddamn that DJ made my day."

Read:
Whenever I'm not sure what to read next, I'll check out other people's book lists. One of those lists that's worth browsing is Bill Gates' end-of-the year list. The Road to Character by David Brooks - I'm wrapping that up and will no doubt check out the other books on the list. Also, did Bill Gates get a Wes Anderson-imitator to direct his book recap video?

Watch:
One of my most favorite gifts EVER was a subscription to the New Yorker, thanks to a fellow journalist. It was during "the trenches," one of those periods that you can only appreciate afterwards. Yet, that subscription provided a bit of relief, escape and more importantly insight.

So I was more than thrilled about the New Yorker documentary: Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists. 

It's filled with relief, escape and more importantly insight.

Follow:
You can follow me on Twitter @ntorquiano or Instagram @ntorq. For even more random distractions, bookmark NTORQ Tumblr.

Pullbox Issue 24

Listen:
Been a fan of Eli Escobar since his Turntable Lab cameos. His Delancey Music Service radio mix has been out for a few years, but it's pretty timeless. Fans of Beats in Space should dig it. 

Read:
It's pretty much the last week of January, which means lots of New Years resolutions may have failed already. No facts backing that up, just personal experience. Regardless, I'm ready to give the KonMari method a stab. The companion book is also available, but Spark Joy implores you to read the original book first. So we'll see if it's life changing or just magic.

Watch:
TV season is slowly picking up again. Most networks tend to roll out the goods during sweeps. But in lieu of that, enjoy a TV guest role from yours truly as the guy on a cellphone (ad-preroll warning).

Follow:
You can follow me on Twitter @ntorquiano or Instagram @ntorq. For even more random distractions, bookmark NTORQ Tumblr.

Pullbox Issue 23

Listen:
Holy Ghost! puts together a delightful live show on the Boiler Room.

Read:
I can't say I've ever been a Pixar super fan, but like others I have enjoyed their movies. Creativity, Inc is a hybrid of business principals and essays from one of Pixar's leaders. Some really useful principals and anecdotes.

Watch:
Rounders is one of my all-time favorite movies. It actually holds up years after its release. The guys who wrote the movie are some of the creators behind Showtime's Billions. The pilot episode has been out for a few weeks. Since I like to watch things in real time, I waited for the premiere date and it doesn't disappoint. If you listen to Brian Koppelman's podcast and Tim Ferriss's podcast, then it really should be up your alley. Can't wait to see what's next.

Follow:
You can follow me on Twitter @ntorquiano or Instagram @ntorq. For even more random distractions, bookmark NTORQ Tumblr.

Pullbox Issue 22

Listen:
The Man from Mars has left us, but David Bowie's body of work lives on. 

He provided one of my earliest and most favorite New York moments.

In college, I attended the CMJ conference in the city with several other KRUA alum. It's a big gathering of college radio stations, journalists, labels, promoters, and up-and-coming bands.

One of the big shows that year was Arcade Fire in Central Park. We weren't even supposed to be at the show, but somehow one of us knew the right person to know and voila! tickets to the show.

Towards the end of Arcade Fire's set, David Bowie emerges and performs with the Montreal band. Not quite the same performance, but from the same time frame - in case you want to re-visit.

Thanks Bowie, 

Read:
Your to-read list only grows after reading Mary Karr's The Art of Memoir. That scene in Good Will Hunting, when Will says something like you could have learned the same thing with a dollar fifty in library late fees, instead of dropping a hundred grand in grad school. Karr's book seems like a getting a master lesson in memoir without spending a ridiculous amount on classes.

Watch:
Knife Fight and Top Chef - as close as I get to guilty pleasures. Likely because I'm eating less meat, watching chefs make meals is like to tofu for my brain.

Follow:
You can follow me on Twitter @ntorquiano or Instagram @ntorq. For even more random distractions, bookmark NTORQ Tumblr.

Pullbox Issue 21

Listen:
Like black people and white dude on record cover, you can count on Japanese DJs digging through the crates to put together some funky mixes - turn up DJ Mitsu’s hyp mix and DJ Muro and DJ Nori’s Boiler Room session.

Read:
Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight screenplay is a joy to read and doesn’t quite feel as mechanical as some scripts can be. I’m still new to the screenwriting language, but QT’s script makes me feel, ‘why can’t all scripts be this much fun?’

Last year, I had a reading goal of 36 books, which grew to 50 books. After reaching the revised goal in less than six months, I decided to double down and go for 100 books. I ended up one short, so I’m scaling back slightly to 88 books. The ultimate  goal is to go for quality reads, so if you have them, then holler.

Watch:
Caved in and binged on Making a Murderer just so I can read up any “new developments.” Really interesting time for crime docu-series..The Jinx and apparently, there’s a French series called The Staircase, which is next on the cue if I’m able to track down.

Follow:
You can follow me on Twitter @ntorquiano or Instagram @ntorq. For even more random distractions, bookmark NTORQ Tumblr.