getData = function(field, callback) {
    console.log('this would get the data from ' + field + ' then continue');
    db.getFromField(field, function(error, response) {
    if(!error) {
        data = response
        callback(data);
        callback('some data');
    }
}

runner = function() {
   // get data from field, 'username'
   getData(username, function(data, callback) {
       console.log('now you have ' + data)
   })
}

runner()