So, what is a swale?

Although the name SWALE was birthed as an acronym (see sidebar), there is actually a thing called a swale, that upon review, is eerily appropriate for this group, as I see it. From Wikipedia here:

"A swale is a low tract of land, especially one that is moist or marshy.  The term can refer to a natural landscape feature or a human-created one. Artificial swales are often designed to manage water runoff , filter pollutants, and increase rainwater infiltration."

So, experimenting with the stretchiness of vocabulary, I offer an analogy:

• We are a human-created group that has come together naturally toward a common purpose
• We collect runoff (stories) and filter the pollutants (offer feedback), with a goal of increasing infiltration through purification
• We languish below the normal idea of success - we are a valley of unpublished ideas and undiscoveredness, slowly and humbly doing what we know to do, without notice or applause (who ever thanked a ditch for efficiently freeing the road of rainwater?)
• We are moist.  Hmm.  Okay.  Like I said, a stretch. 

So, we are SWALE.  And, swale.  Time to rain some story.

Oh, and Swale is also the name of a borough in Kent, England.  We don't have the right accents for that, though.

Happy New Year

Wild fire! All you souls tormented to create! Creativity is the source of meaning, and connects us to others in a way that is fulfilling. Plus, at the middle and end of the year, it gives us an excuse to get together and pull a 'Hemmingway', which of course is to drink and talk about our creativity.

Welcome!

In the beginning, there was light green

Well, DJ - here we are.  We have officially and successfully consumed some google server space with this little free venture.