Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"I fear I have a hardware-related problem," I explained to the owner of my local hardware store. "Subcategory: plumbing."
"Yes," replied the hardware-store owner.
"My house is equipped with [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"I see you that stock a version of Carrie on DVD that was produced in 2002," I commented to the clerk at my local video store. I [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"Pardon me, miss," I murmured to an employee of the poker room at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., who, unfortunately, I must describe as a [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"I will be back on Thursday to complete my work," the chimney-repair specialist informed me. I had contracted this individual to construct an aluminum pipe from my [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"I hear that your newspaper has been sold to Creative Loafing, a Tampa-based chain of four alternative newsweeklies," I commented to an employee of Washington City Paper. [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"How much mortar would you like to purchase?" inquired the hardware store owner.
The rigors of time have taken their toll on the brick staircase leading up to [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"A red Mustang," observed the rental-car attendant. The time had come for me to return my rental car. This attendant was all too happy to oblige.
"A red [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"Your chimney is exceedingly dirty," commented the chimney sweep. For a mere $129, this noble soul had dutifully reported to my house and cleaned my chimney.
"I regret [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"You know what?" asked the gentleman poker player. Because this gentleman had spent part of his life in Jamaica, this rhetorical question was put to the card [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"This U-Haul is the ninth U-Haul that I have operated," the U-Haul franchise-operator declared. This gentleman stood behind the counter at the U-Haul franchise located near North [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"My father was English," said the gentleman at the barbecue. "When he was 15, he went to war. World War II. He joined the English merchant marine. [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"Where is your boiler?" asked the boiler-servicer. This boiler-servicer had called at my house to service my boiler, a gas-burning, heat-producing appliance that had not been serviced [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"Your heart beats 56 times per minute," my neurologist said. We sat in her office in the 2900 block of K Street NW. She held my wrist [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
"When I saw Elvis...that was the finest moment of my life," an older gentleman said. As we played cards, he spoke of olden times with a palpable [...]

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, Justin wrote Iceland, a blog about his band's American tour. Justin isn't on tour anymore, but Iceland continues, twice a week, on City Desk.
A gentleman trained in the art of termite extermination wandered into my home with a large drill. We stood in my basement and inspected the floor.
"We will [...]