the difference between making mixtapes for real (on tape) and via cd, aside from whatever techinical givens, seems to be in the measure of spontaneity. I remember making mixtapes a long time ago, on my cruddy clanking tapedeck, clicking pause and record and pause again, and when a song would almost reach the end suddenly it would become so clear what needed to come next. whatever it was, a copy of a copy of a song I didn't know the name of or the cd I'd just bought that week. there seemed to be a different thought process somehow.
I'm making cd mixes for faraway friends just now (beloved best friend of exboyfriend, best college friend, favoritest artcamper of highschool era), and I am missing that spontaneity.
I am missing a lot of things in general. all those vivid dear ones I haven't seen in years, whose sweetness will make me cry if I think of each of them too precisely right now. and too, that other certain dear one who is a far wide throw across the pacific as I write.