Three Minutes on a Park Bench With: Selectman John Callahan

You may know he's a Swampscott Selectman, but did you know he brews his own beer? 

We recently caught up with John Callahan as part of our new virtual Patch Park Bench column. 

Patch: What's your morning routine? 

John: Letting out the dog, putting the kettle on for instant coffee, start shaking kids out of their slumber and get them to school close to on time.

P: What do you do for a living? And what's the best thing about your job?

J: I spend the day as a code monkey, maintaining a few business-critical applications.  The best thing about the job is I get to decide my own work hours and can work at home.

P: What's the hardest?

J: Not getting distracted after 2:15 when an army of kids seem to show up at the door.

P: How long have you lived in Swampscott? 

J: Since June 30 1990.  Been in the same house since.  Got married in the living room.  Just love it right here.

P: What's your favorite thing about living here?

J: Probably sounds dumb but my neighbors.  I luckily live on a dead end street where all the neighbors are just excellent.

P: If you had to arrange a secret meeting here, where would you have it?

J: The Swampscott Club.

P: Tell us something about yourself that most of your neighbors don't know.

J: That I brew my own beer pretty regularly.  I used to brew two batches a week now I struggle to brew two batches a month.  Bummer!  However that's causing me to amp up my equipment to make cut the brew day hours down so I can get back to a batch a week.

P: When you want a really indulgent snack here, where do you go and what do you get?

J: Usually a Reese's Peanut Butter cup from the checkout aisle at Stop&Shop.  It's my little reward for getting the groceries.

P: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

J: Worry makes a small thing have a big shadow.

P: What are you doing after this interview?

J: Getting dinner going on the stove.

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Nominate someone from your community for the Patch Park Bench interview. Send suggestions to owen.boss@patch.com.