January Hearsay Contributors

Commissioner Jill H. Sasser

Clark County Superior Court

Commissioner Jill H. Sasser began serving as a judical officer for Clark County Superior Court in 2021.

Jesse Jacobs

NW Injury Law Center

Jesse Jacobs is a trial attorney representing personal injury clients in Southwest Washington. He is the immediate past president of the CBBA.

Grant Gehrmann

Gehrmann Injury Law

Grant A. Gehrmann has been a practicing attorney in Vancouver since 1992. He’s proud to fight for injured victims and their families against insurance companies and corporations.

New Year, New Me?

Another holiday season has come and gone and all of a sudden it is 2023. I have spent the last few weeks doing some reflecting about the beginning of a new year and what I would like to accomplish. I have never been one for New Year’s resolutions, as I hate setting myself up for failure or putting undue pressure on myself. But for some reason this year felt different, and I felt compelled to set some goals for myself. I think part of this is due to the fact that I now have a baby, and everything in my life constantly seems to be in a state of chaos balancing motherhood, work, and other obligations. Setting goals feels like a way to subdue the chaos just a little bit.

My husband, John, and I were able to go to a lovely New Year’s eve dinner at Nostrana (highly recommend if you like Italian food), and during dinner we had a discussion about what we wanted to accomplish over the next year. I wanted to make a concerted effort realistic and achievable goals so that I wasn’t just making myself feel bad throughout the year for not doing what I set out to do. At the top of my list, was to reduce waste, particularly food waste. I constantly feel guilty about throwing away leftovers that have gone uneaten or produce that has gone bad, and I think with efficient meal planning and commitment to using everything in my refrigerator, I can significantly reduce the amount of food that is going to waste.

I also set a goal for myself to read 12 books over the next year. I know for some people, 12 books is a breeze, but for me, 12 books is a lot. I typically only read for fun when I am on vacation laying by a pool or on the beach. When I am home immersed in normal life, I have a hard time carving out time for reading or other hobbies. When the day is done, the baby is asleep, and the house is clean, I usually climb in bed, watch some bad reality TV, and fall asleep. I enjoy reading, but rarely make it a priority. So I am making the commitment to try (try being the operative word), to read one book per month. To be honest, if I can make it to 6 books I will feel like I accomplished something. And that is it. Two simple goals that can make me feel a tad more accomplished and centered throughout the year. I reached out to a few board members to see if they had any New Years Resolutions, as here is what they had to say:

-Ben Melnick (Treasurer): “1. Read 25 books for fun. 2. If my opinion doesn’t add anything, don’t share it. 3. Even if my opinion does add something, as long as other people don’t affect me or harm anyone else, don’t yuck their yum.”

-Whitney Hawke (Vice President): “My goal is to workout at least three times a week. My kid just turned 1 and I’m finally feeling less ‘frantic new mom chaos,’ so three workouts seems reasonable.”

-Jesse Jacobs (Immediate Past President): “Spend more time with my cute daughter.” (I can attest that she is VERY cute).

Happy 2023 everyone! I hope all of your New Year’s Resolutions get accomplished over the next 12 months and help make this your best year yet!