Dreams--The Delight and Danger of Using Dreams in Your Story

Dreams are a big part of my personal life--I've recorded my dreams since I was in college.  But I use them very sparingly in my writing.  Why?
 

Have you ever been with a friend who is telling you about a dream?  On and on it goes, one weird scene after another, incredibly meaningful to the dreamer but hard to make sense of if you weren't there. 

That's …