Way before I got into DJing I used to make "mix tapes" for friends of mine. I was constantly looking for just the right combination of tracks. I had a number of people I'd trade ones with online. Once I got into the rave scene, the idea of a mixtape changed slightly. It was usually a tape of music mixed together by a single DJ. Now in the last few months I've noticed an emergence of mixes, this time in the form of the mix CD. I've even sent out one or two myself (different from my DJ mixes). The NYTimes has a cool article on the topic:

For the Mix Tape, a Digital Upgrade and Notoriety. In the age of digital files and the CD burner, the homemade compilations called "mix" tapes have become bigger than ever. By David F. Gallagher. [New York Times: Technology]

There's also a short piece on artofthemix.org. Now I'm feeling inspired.