The Heat Travels Slowly

In this episode of Mysterious Goings On, Alex shares his latest essay, “The Heat Travels Slowly.” The short version: "when I was five, my aunt told me not to touch the iron. I touched it anyway. The longer version is about why that kind of direct, immediate feedback no longer applies to most of the decisions that actually matter, and what happens when the consequences of bad choices arrive so slowly and indirectly that nobody connects them to anything."Watch Alex perform ⁠this episode on video here.⁠If you’re not yet a paid subscriber, now is a good time. Paid subscribers get early access to new essays before they go public, plus content that doesn’t hit the free tier. There’s a discount running right now, just click here.Alex will be LIVE at True Crime GenreCon in Kansas City on April 11! ⁠Click here for details.⁠⁠⁠Book J. Alexander Greenwood for keynotes, panels, podcasts, and live conversations!J. Alexander Greenwood speaks on work, writing, media, and the systems people have to navigate every day, drawing from real-world experience as a writer, communicator, and podcaster.He appears at conferences, universities, book clubs, professional associations, and with organizations looking for something more grounded than a generic motivational talk. Formats include keynotes, panels, workshops, classroom conversations, and podcast or interview appearances. Engagements can be virtual or in person.Common topics include ⁠⁠Radical Competency ⁠⁠and workplace dynamics, independent publishing and author entrepreneurship, podcasting and storytelling, public relations and crisis communication, writing craft and the creative process, building a sustainable creative career, and true crime and the ethics of storytelling. Talks are tailored to fit the audience and the moment.For most speaking engagements, Greenwood charges a nominal speaking fee. Events requiring travel should also cover related expenses. Media interviews and podcast appearances are typically handled separately.If you’re interested, you’ll find everything you need here⁠⁠: jalexandergreenwood.com.⁠⁠ Celebrating 10 Years and hundreds of episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’ve enjoyed the essays and want to see more of them, here are two simple ways you can help:Become a paid subscriber. Paid support keeps this work sustainable and helps me devote the time and energy it deserves. If you’ve subscribed before, please consider re-subscribing under the new system and ⁠⁠⁠⁠take advantage of this ⁠25% offer.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spread the word. If a paid subscription isn’t right for you right now, you can still make a big difference by sharing posts with friends, on social media, or anywhere you think they’ll resonate.⁠⁠⁠👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join today and lock in 25% off your first year.⁠⁠⁠Your support—financial or otherwise—is what keeps this going. The best work is still ahead, and I’d love for you to be part of it. —AlexCONNECT:​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy a Book!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's True Crime Podcast ⁠⁠Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Original theme music "Mysterious Goings On" by Jamie Green. Want your own cool score for your podcast or website? Contact Jamie at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenhouse Consulting.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out Jamie's interview on the show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Intro music: "Half Mystery" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2026 all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.