This shit is real.

Guy comes to my desk.
Guy: Do you know Python?
Me: Yes
Guy: I want a program that reads a CSV containing IP addresses and tells which of them are valid.
Me: Sure thing. Show me the CSV file.
Guy: (Shows the file)
Me: (Writes a small function for checking whether the IP is valid)
Me: Done Here you go.
Guy: You should be using regex.
Me: Why? This is perfect. No need for regex.
Guy: My manager wants a solution using regex only.
Me: Why so?
Guy: I don't know. Can you do it using regex?
Me: Only if you say so. (Stackoverflow. Writes a humongous regex). Done!
Me: Just for curiosity, what is your application?
Guy: I will port it in Java. You see, regex is easy to debug.
Me: Ohhh Yes. I forgot that. Good luck with your regex.

Best SO comment ever! Also the most accurate one..

I rarely use a regex from StackOverflow. Most of the time I write my own!
I'm so proud...

Finding out how not to do it.

An example, learning how to parse HTML, and finding a stackoverflow post with the answer "use regex" triggers tech junkies so much that they actually comment a mostly accepted way of doing something.

There's two types of people in this world, those who don't like regex, and magical otherworldly beings, luckily for me, I'm the latter

How can I be pro at string/json manipulations/regex etc?

I really suck at it and it really impacts my performance.

/^*|Yejduxejwuak*^%ciejkdiywjj/

Creator of regex says "Hello"