mix tapes

Mix tapes are funny things. I know that when I make a mix tape, I'm more times than not, extremely intentional in which songs I choose to include. In fact, when I applied for the TOMS internship and had to answer a question about what CD I would listen to during a long distance drive from Point A to Point B, I answered I would listen to "the most epic mix tape ever created". And after spending nearly an hour perusing my iTunes library for the perfect roadtrip jams, I created my hypothetical playlist which I'll chalk up to being the only reason I was offered the internship.

Mix tapes have power, definition, ambiguity, room for questions, hints at answers, heartbreak, encouragement, random joy, inside jokes, tender love and care. Mix tapes can be whatever you want or need them to be for both the creator and the recipient whether shared or experienced independently.

It took me nearly three days to create one of the most important mix tapes I have ever created. There was a larger purpose behind just sharing a couple songs with someone. I spent hours listening to every word in every song to see if it some how rang true with what I was feeling or wanted to say but couldn't. If I didn't have enough songs to tie everything together I researched songs that would be able to fill in the gaps. Every part of its creation was intentional and carefully decided upon. It had to be; it was going to do what I couldn't.

I completely agree with Hans Christian Andersen: "Where words fail, music speaks." And thus, the purpose of mix tapes...