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A Series of Disappointments: Dating After 30 | Why Every First Date Became a Story

Episode Description

Dating in your 20s is fueled by optimism. Dating in your 30s? It's more like conducting a series of increasingly bizarre social experiments.

In this episode of Born to Ramble, I read an excerpt from my memoir-in-progress, Neverwife, about navigating the wonderfully weird world of dating after 30.

From a charming nomad who lived in a Prius and proudly admitted to stealing from Walmart, to a former wrestler convinced he was the next Bon Jovi, to the man whose chip-eating technique sent me running out of a Mexican restaurant, these are the stories that made me laugh long after the dates were over.

Beneath the humor is a reflection on how our expectations of love evolve with age, how experience changes attraction, and why sometimes the best thing to come from dating is a really good story.

If you've ever survived online dating, questioned your life choices halfway through dinner, or wondered if you'll ever meet someone who doesn't have a glaring red flag, this episode is for you.

In This Episode

❤️ Why dating feels completely different after 30

🚗 Meeting a man who lived in a converted Prius during the pandemic

🛒 The date who proudly confessed to shoplifting from Walmart

🎸 A former indie wrestler's unforgettable guitar performance

🐍 The first date that ended because of...the way someone ate tortilla chips

😂 Why bad dates make the best memoir material

Memorable Moments

"By the time I hit my 30s, choosing a lifelong partner seemed obscene."

"Dating after 30 is bringing your history of disappointments to P.F. Chang's."

"I bought him his own loofah before our first date."

"You're so hot...but you're so bad."

"The older I got, the more intolerable the little things became."

About Born to Ramble

Born to Ramble podcast features audio essays and stories by me, Nikki Settelmeyer, and others. I love creative non-fiction, memoir, and hilarious real stories with a sprinkling of tragedy. Special episodes delve into the “Craft of Writing.” I love writing and I love talking about it. I love talking. #voice

“Hosted by writer, children's author, and creative writing instructor Nikki Settelmeyer, each episode explores the funny, messy, and meaningful moments that make up everyday life—from corporate burnout and midlife reinvention to parenting adventures and the stories hiding in ordinary moments.” –Anonymous

Subscribe to Born to Ramble

If you enjoy stories about writing, l-i-v-i-n-g, (geriatric) parenting, creativity, books, and starting over, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Born to Ramble. I'm over here failing fast and the momentum's got me excited.

The Born to Ramble newsletter comes out every Thursday at 11:00, and podcast episodes are released each Saturday at 12:07pm ♥️ YouTube Reels and TikTok shorts every day ♥️

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🎙️ Host of Born to Ramble

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