Introduction to My Ever-Changing Life

My name is Ashlyn Colbert. I am from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

My family is very important to me! Here I am at my brother's football game with my mom and sister!

My labradoodle, Cali, is also very important to me!

I spent my freshman year of college at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California as I believed that I would be better suited at a smaller university. Unsatisfied with my experience there, I decided to try the University of Oklahoma during the fall of my sophomore year and I could not be more content or surprised by how much I love it here!

I especially missed OU football when in California!

I just recently changed my major from Human Resources Management to Accounting and am highly considering Price College of Business' 5-year BBA/MAcc Program. My favorite class that I took last semester was Managerial Accounting, simply because accounting is something I just recently developed a liking to! My biggest accomplishment last semester would have to be getting more involved on campus: I joined an academic fraternity where I served as Service Chair and became Fundraising Chair and also interned for an environmental sustainability non-profit. Even though I had many friends here already and made many new ones, it was still hard for me to get involved on campus just coming in as a transfer there aren't a lot of (obvious) opportunities. I had a very exciting winter break filled with family and friends! After being in Mexico for almost two weeks (see My Favorite Place post), I had a chance to spend a week in Crested Butte, Colorado skiing with friends.

Skiing in Crested Butte (I'm the one in pink pants)!

I am currently about half way through my training to become a yoga teacher. This weekend I actually have a two day intensive! I have grown to love yoga, especially hot yoga. I have embarked on this training to merely learn more about something I love, not to necessarily teach yoga... but who knows! Because of my passion for yoga, I hope to one day travel to India, so this is one more reason that I am very excited for this class. Finally, I consider volunteering and travel to be my two most favorite hobbies. I have been fortunate enough to have many opportunities to combine these two things in places around the United States as well as in Italy, Haiti, Belize, Tanzania, and Mexico.

While in Tanzania, my dad and I also hiked Mount Kilimanjaro! 

Community service is something I really enjoy and hope to someday incorporate into my career, whatever that may be.

Week 1 Storytelling: Moderation is Key

Jack Sprat could eat no fat,

His wife could eat no lean:

And so, betwixt them both, you see, 

They lick'd the platter clean.

(traditional nursery rhyme)

~~~

All of the people of Parcel saw the Sprat family as gluttonous and overindulging. Although, there was more to the Sprats’ excessive fanaticism… Centuries before, the Sprats were given a blessing (or a curse, as the Parcellites saw it) of utter devotion. This family could not avoid – nor understand – their extremities. 

Most people have heard of Old Jack Sprat who never ate a bit of fat in hopes to stay lean... 

(glass of water on plate)

... and also of his wife Julie who, on the other hand, ate nothing but fat in order to maintain her voluptuous figure. 

(desserts)

Likewise, Little Johnny Sprat desired to become a runner so he couldn’t help but run everywhere. All day he was running to and fro, no one understood how he had so much energy, but it was all in his head – he was devoted. 

(boy running)

Then there was Little Jenny Sprat who had always dreamed of becoming a singer so she sung everything – “Motheeeeerrrr, have you seen my shoes todayyyyyy?”. 

(singing child)

Not surprisingly, people found the Sprats annoying to say the least. Their superabundant personalities made it hard for them to function in normal situations. For example, little Johnny was always being sent to the principal’s office for running through the halls of Parcel School and little Jenny was constantly being asked not to sing. Their exorbitance grew out of control and Old Jack became so slender that he had very little strength while Julie found herself so large that she could hardly move. The Sprats grew more and more frustrated with their lack of self-control and decided that they had to do something about their situation so Old Jack, Julie, Little Johnny, and Little Jenny all dedicated their blessing of utter devotion to moderation. 

(balance)

The Sprats became functioning, even excelling, citizens of Parcel and, more importantly models of proportion to all – living proof that, indeed, moderation is key.

Author’s Note: I named the town Parcel, as it means portion, to contrast the lack of portion that the Sprats display. This story that I created is based on one of my favorite movies Ella Enchanted where she has a similar blessing/curse of obedience.

Bibliography: This story is based on the nursery rhyme "Jack Sprat could eat no fat" in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897).