String#strptime Ruby needs symmetry for Time#strftime. If a Time can be converted to a string (given a pattern), then a String should be convertible to a Time.

gistfile1.txt

# This really should belong in String, not Date...

class String
  # Calculate the Time represented by this string, and the (optional) time pattern
  # that describes this string (see Time#strftime).
  # Returns a nil time if the String does not match the pattern, or the pattern is invalid.
  def strptime(format=nil)
    date = format ? Date.strptime(self, format) : Date.strptime(self)
    date.to_time
  rescue
    nil
  end
end

Thanks, Arild. I wanted this a while back. 👍