I just returned from a weekend trip to New York City with My College Roommate to visit a friend and fellow Penn State alum I'll call The World Traveler. Once I sort through my photos and get my thoughts together, I'll write all about our adventures.

Upon returning, I found a package waiting for me. Artist Jesse Reklaw's book, The Night of Your Life, has been published, and he sent me a signed copy, thanking me for contributing. Jesse Reklaw draws a comic called "Slow Wave," which chronicles the sometimes strange, sometimes enlightening, and frequently amusing dreams of hundreds of contributors.

About five years ago, I combed through a dream journal I used to keep during my first marriage and submitted several, of which he used two.

I'd almost forgotten that he'd asked me for permission to reprint the cartoon in his book a while ago and then, more recently, asked for my address to mail a copy of the book. When I looked at the package, which was in a reused envelope that either Jesse or someone else had decorated with stickers and a drawing of a monster-like creature saying, "Books!", I thought it might be a book to review for Wild Violet. Then I saw the return address and tore it open with glee.

The book is hard-bound, 255 pages, filled with his cartoons from the years 1999-2003. It was published by Dark Horse Books, who did an excellent job with the printing. I've begun paging through it and, as always with Jesse's work, I am impressed. I'm always amazed how he combs through the submitted dreams, chooses ones that speak to him, and then condenses them into four-panel strips, using a semi-realistic style based on actual photos of the dream contributors.

Jesse is a brilliant artist and a super nice guy, so if you're still looking for ideas for a Christmas present, check out his site and order his book. Heck, you could even make it a gift to yourself!