Who was it in college that left Jim's Journal lying around? It was probably Alden. Anyway, this comic book series is intentionally jokeless, which, for me, has a really specific appeal: I feel like reading it clears my mind. I mean, Jim never really does anything remarkable and I find that soothing. Most of the other books I read make me feel like I'm not doing enough with my life. Jim takes a walk, or sleeps all day, or watches Mr. Peterson drink milk, and that's it for him. He doesn't really have emotions and he doesn't really comment on anything he sees. He's like Zen.
I'm not sure why I liked this comic book so much, but I loved it. I think it has something to do with the very unassuming protagonist named Jim. He lives in an apartment with a cat (Mr. Peterson) and works at a copy shop. He has some friends, and they hang out together. That description could have also applied to my own life when I first moved to Bloomington, Indiana. Unlike Jim, though, I was also going to school. :-) Overall the book has a wonderful Zen quality to it that appeals to me.