I started off creating mixes as a practical matter to squeeze more music onto tapes and CDRs. Now it is a hobby for when I'm bored. I usually take a bunch of music I've been into recently and playlist it for awhile, and when I'm happy with a brief enough list I take to mixing it so that it has an overarching flow. I am a harsh critic of anyone - especially myself - and I'm usually no less than moderately satisfied with the result. Sometimes I'd swear it wasn't even me who mixed it.