About Me

About Me:

My name’s Pat and I’m a 33-year-old born and bred, in northeastern PA (otherwise known, and always referred to by me on this blog, as NEPA). I currently work in an office park outside of Scranton, where I sit in a half cubicle, spend most of my day on the phone trying to sell things to customers, and am forced to silently react to some of the absurd things being said around me.  Basically, I’m the living embodiment of Jim Halpert, without the height, looks, or cute receptionist to play pranks with.

I graduated from the University of Scranton in 2009 with a degree in English/Secondary Education and spent the first five years of my adult life as a high school teacher living and working in Lancaster, PA. Four years ago I made the decision to walk away after becoming disillusioned with the current state of public education. I loved my time as a teacher. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I learned a lot, the job was infinitely entertaining, and Lancaster is an amazing, vibrant city. It was also during some research for a journalism class I was teaching where I discovered the world of blogging, and started this site.

My hobbies & interests include making playlists (it’s really an art), dive bars (the divier the better), anything Irish, sampling hot wings, reading, bar crawls, keeping in shape (not sure if it’s more of an interest or a narcissistic tendency), writing, tennis, cross country skiing, mass Facebook messages, hiking, beer (both craft and domestic), traveling, binge-watching, trip planning, and trying to get anyone I talk to into Friday Night Lights, even though I was late to that party myself. You could follow me on Facebook here, Twitter here, and Instagram here (I do my best social media work on Insta).

And because this whole thing isn’t self-indulgent enough already, I’m going to answer a little web survey, just so that you could get to know me better. I miss filling these out for my AIM profile, which coincidentally, I would have listed this as my #1 hobby had I written this between 2002-2007.

Name: Pat Brothwell

Nickname: Pat Brothwell

DOB: 3/19/86

Age: Do the math

Current Location: Upper Browndale, PA

Height: 5’11 (one of my biggest life regrets is not hitting 6 feet).

Weight: NO

Favorite Color: I really don’t think I have one (you’re learning so much!)

Favorite Band/Singer: I’m probably going to have to go with one Bruce Springsteen. I’d also list Billy Joel, The Killers, Dropkick Murphys, Frank Turner, Gaslight Anthem, Kacey Musgraves, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, The Strypes, Will Smith (favorite rapper, by far), Blake Shelton, Beach Boys & Sinatra (put together as they are my father’s direct influence), and Zac Brown Band as my other go-tos. Also, now that I’m surveying who takes up the “most played” time in my ITunes, I’d be lying through my teeth if I didn’t include Taylor Swift (but, early country version).

Favorite TV Show: Friday Night Lights, Veep, GOT, Mad Men (I recently just watched this series for the 3^rd time and am now convinced Betty Draper is the most tragic character on television), Parks & Recreation, The Office, The Americans…I don’t know if I should include Broadchurch, but it made me openly weep several times.  This is too hard: there’s so too much good TV at the moment.

Favorite Song: I really don’t understand people that have one favorite song. I probably have 20. Off the top of my head, five big ones are “Rosalita,” “Africa,” “Fairytale of New York,” Read My Mind,” and “Cecilia.”

Favorite Food: Again, HARD. Wings, crab dip, shrimp and garlic personal white pizza from Frank’s Place, cold morning after pizza from DG’s bar, pumpkin roll, breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches with bacon and bbq sauce, omelets, cheddar jalapeno waffles, pulled pork, chunky peanut butter off the spoon, chicken & waffles, calamari, cheese curds, gelato…I think that’s enough for my hypothetical last meal ever.

Favorite Drink: I’ll keep this simple: chocolate milk or beer.

Greatest Fear: Heights/balding

Favorite Cereal: Kashi Berry Crumble with some dried cherries thrown in on most days. Peanut Butter Captain Crunch every now and then.

Celebrity Crush: Tami Taylor ya’ll.

Favorite Month: March, obviously. It’s my birth month and the month of my namesake holiday.

Biggest Regret. Like Frank, I’ve had a few. The most egregious being my Sun-in phase.

Favorite Vacation: Iceland. Everyone should go.

Favorite Place to Visit: I love going up to Lake Placid and exploring the Adirondacks, and usually make it up twice a year at least.

If you could have any magical power what would it be? Easy. Teleportation. For years I said invisibility, but I’m  aware enough to realize I’d abuse that.