Yeah, I’ve found myself wasting quite a lot of time thinking of the ‘perfect regex’ for task X only to realise that I could have avoided doing so by simply taking a different approach.

What do you mean? We just outsource the waste management to private companies who assure us they will dispose of it in a safe and secure manner. (This is legitimately what America does with nuclear waste, with limited oversight – fuck you Regan – and it is fucking bananas).