Bonus Episode: Interviewing Otto | A very short interview with my son and dog.

In this special bonus episode of Born to Ramble, Otto and I test out our new “set” in our first ever primetime interview.

We discuss life's biggest questions, including:

His favorite book

His favorite TV show

Swimming lessons 🏊

Chocolate 🍫

Orange pop 🍊

If you've ever talked to a preschooler, you know conversations rarely go according to plan.

In This Episode

00:00 Welcome to Born to Ramble

00:40 Meet Otto, my first guest ever

01:20 Swimming lessons

02:10 Favorite books

02:45 Sonic vs. Grizzly

03:30 Chocolate is the best food

04:00 Signing off, Sir

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 ♥️

Connect with Nikki

✍️ Writer

🎙️ Host of Born to Ramble

Subscribe on Substack for essays, behind-the-scenes writing updates, podcast episodes, and plenty of stories

I Worked at a Chinese Restaurant in the '90s | Plus THE JOB REPORT Job Hunting & The Shangri-La

What do a 66-minute job assessment, getting rejected from a lunch lady position, and a Chinese restaurant in North Dakota have in common?

Apparently...my life.

In this episode of Born to Ramble, I'm introducing a new recurring segment called “The Job Report”, where I'll share the ridiculous realities of job hunting after being laid off—including bizarre hiring assessments, unrealistic salaries, and the increasingly surreal job market.

Then we travel back to 1997, when I worked as a hostess at the Shangri-La Chinese Restaurant in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Between secret boyfriends, unforgettable coworkers, neverending delivery orders, sweet and sour chicken, dolphin ankle tattoos, and one unforgettable convenience store "robbery," this may have been the most entertaining job I've ever had.

If you love funny true stories, nostalgic 90s memories, restaurant chaos, memoir-style storytelling, and laughing through life's absurd moments, you're in the right place.

In this episode:

* The launch of "The Job Report"

* Ridiculous modern hiring practices

* Why job hunting in 2026 feels impossible

* Life as a teenage hostess in the 1990s

* Funny restaurant coworkers I'll never forget

* Sweet & sour chicken, Seinfeld, and secret romances

* One prank that became legendary

If you've ever worked in a restaurant, survived retail, or wondered how hiring became this ridiculous, you'll probably see yourself somewhere in this story.

🎙️ Subscribe for new episodes of Born to Ramble, where stories, humor, nostalgia, and everyday life collide.

#storytelling #podcast #funnystories #restaurantstories #jobsearch #90snostalgia

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 ♥️

Connect with Nikki

✍️ Writer

🎙️ Host of Born to Ramble

Subscribe on Substack for essays, behind-the-scenes writing updates, podcast episodes, and plenty of stories

Please enjoy this fiction short story about the hell that offices have become and the pissing contest of who can be the sickest and still work.

Worked to Death: A Skeleton Walks into the Office and Hits It Outta the Park 💀

What happens when a company expects more from its employees than they expect from the dead?

In this episode of Born to Ramble, Nikki shares one of her favorite original short stories—a dark workplace satire that may or may not be actually satirical cuz I’m pretty sure I actually worked at this company, minus the corpse. This story explores “hustle culture,” burnout, impossible expectations, and the moment you realize your job might actually be trying to kill you.

Meet Jim: sick as a dog, armed with chicken noodle soup, Emergen-C, and a lunchbox lovingly packed by his wife. He drags himself into work only to discover that a coworker has literally died... and somehow manages to lead the client presentation.

If you've ever:

* Worked while sick because you felt guilty calling in

* Had a boss who cared more about spreadsheets than people

* Laughed to keep from crying during corporate meetings

* Wondered if "work-life balance" is just an urban legend

...this story is for you.

Before the story, Nikki also shares a few life updates, including:

🎉 The *Born to Ramble Shop** is officially open!

* 🤓 Her surprisingly effective fake glasses.

* 🧌 Why getting her first internet trolls feels like a podcasting milestone.

* 🐵 A grammar lesson inspired by someone who couldn't spell "dying."

This episode is equal parts storytelling, sarcasm, and corporate trauma recovery.

## Read the Story

Prefer to read along? You can find the complete short story on the Born to Ramble Substack:

"A Skeleton Walks into the Office and Hits It Outta the Park."

Support Born to Ramble

Love cynical humor, funny stories, and original writing?

Check out the Born to Ramble Shop for sarcastic T-shirts, gifts, and upcoming Mommy & Me designs that are just weird enough to start conversations.

If you enjoyed this episode:

* ⭐ Follow the podcast.

* ❤️ Leave a rating or review.

* 📤 Share it with the coworker who's one email away from becoming a skeleton.

Thanks for listening—and remember: your employer can replace your position, but your family can't replace you.

The original written version is here: Worked to Death