This time of year seems to be all about countdowns. A coping device, they help us brace ourselves for the inevitable. And they’re all over the news.

There are countdowns to the dreaded fiscal cliff, Black Friday (now, disturbingly, elbowing its way into Thanksgiving Thursday), the end of the world (per that murky and oft-misinterpreted Mayan calendar) and, if that doesn’t happen, Christmas and New Year’s.

Like I need more pressure in my life.

Taking matters into my own hands, I create lists. I love lists. They bring order to my life and help me retain an air of organization about me when all others are losing theirs.

In fact, I just sent out a Thanksgiving Prep list to my sisters. While I am hosting the affair, we always divvy up the menu. Now that that’s done, I can prepare my shopping list. How do I know how much to get? I check my guest list.

I think you get the picture.

Lists are empowering. They make even the most daunting task seem do-able by breaking it down line item by line item.

So ignore all those countdowns meant to fill us with dread and enjoy my own Thanksgiving tale instead.