Americans have become lazy.

Period.

In fact, we're going to talk about three examples I'm sure many of you have seen or experienced that attest to our slothfulness.

If you can honestly say that you're not party to the following three subjects, you're off the hook.

Here goes:

Christmas is over

Get a clue, folks. Maybe when Santa was on your roof nearly five months ago, you should have told him to take down those icicle lights, because you knew you'd be too lazy to take them down yourself.

I don't know how many houses I've come across that still have these lights. There's some out by the airport, on 4th Street NW and even in my neck of the woods down by the high school. They're nice and attractive to look at.

In December.

It's one thing when people haul that brown Christmas tree to the curb in March. I could look the other way if you take down your lights then.

But last I checked, Easter was a distant memory. I filled up my propane tank for the grill more than a month ago.

The only way you get a free pass on this one is if you use your lights to hang your prized catches from the fishing opener.

Then again, I wouldn't brag about that.

Mow your lawn

Again, it's the middle of May. You may think those dandelions look attractive and nostalgic, like Little House on the Prairie.

Nope.

It's shows that either you or your landlord has been too lazy to tend to the yard and keep it looking respectable.

Granted, mowing lawn is about as fun as, well, taking down Christmas lights. But there's a thing called responsibility. If you have the effort to put up the lights, you should be able to muster enough of it to take them down.

Same thing applies to your lawn. If you bought this property, you should take care of it.

Do yourself and the value of your property a favor and mow it.

Smoking in the laundromat

As an ex-smoker, I know how hard it can to be quit. So I'm not going to bash smokers out there who gotta have that drag now and then.

But if you're at a laundromat, don't be so lazy that you just can't step outside and fire one up. I go to a laundromat to wash my clothes, not a saloon.

Understand that I'm not picking on a certain class of folks, or their race, gender, or income. Economics has nothing to do with it.

These three examples are proof that laziness does not discriminate.

Now do me and yourself a favor. Get some courage, cut out this article and give it to your neighbor if you feel the need.

Laziness has infiltrated this community. Together, we can overcome such a tragedy.

Dan Fields' column appears Fridays in the Herald. He can be reached by e-mail at :mailto:dan.fields@austindailyherald.com