--- scheduler.module.orig	2008-11-02 20:35:50.000000000 +0000
+++ scheduler.module	2008-11-19 03:44:45.000000000 +0000
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function scheduler_admin() {
     '#default_value' => variable_get('scheduler_date_format', SCHEDULER_DATE_FORMAT),
     '#size' => 20,
     '#maxlength' => 20,
-    '#description' => t('The input format for the (un)scheduling time/date. See the date() function for formatting options: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.date.php'),	
+    '#description' => t('The input format for the (un)scheduling time/date. See the date() function for formatting options: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.date.php. Or enter "strtotime" to make PHP do the work for you. See: http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.strtotime.php :)'),	
 	);
 	return system_settings_form($form);
 }
@@ -98,6 +98,15 @@ function scheduler_form_alter(&$form, $f
 
         $date_format = variable_get('scheduler_date_format', SCHEDULER_DATE_FORMAT);
         
+        // if they're using strtotime, grab the default date format for output...
+        if ($date_format == 'strtotime') {
+          $date_format = variable_get('date_format_long', 'D, m/d/Y - H:i');
+          $sample_time = "'tomorrow', '+5 days' or 'next Tuesday'... just enter a date or time :)";
+        }
+        else {
+          $sample_time = format_date(time(), 'custom', $date_format);
+        }
+        
         //only load the values if we are viewing an existing node
         if (isset($node->nid) && $node->nid > 0) {
           $defaults = db_fetch_object(db_query('SELECT publish_on, unpublish_on FROM {scheduler} WHERE nid = %d', $node->nid));
@@ -139,7 +148,7 @@ function scheduler_form_alter(&$form, $f
           '#title' => t('Publish on'),
           '#maxlength' => 25,
           '#default_value' => isset($defaults->publish_on) && $defaults->publish_on ? format_date($defaults->publish_on, 'custom', $date_format) : '',
-          '#description' => t('Format: %time. Leave blank to disable scheduled publishing.', array('%time' => format_date(time(), 'custom', $date_format))),
+          '#description' => t('Format: %time. Leave blank to disable scheduled publishing.', array('%time' => $sample_time)),
           '#attributes' => $jscalendar ? array('class' => 'jscalendar') : array()
         );
 
@@ -148,7 +157,7 @@ function scheduler_form_alter(&$form, $f
           '#title' => t('Unpublish on'),
           '#maxlength' => 25,
           '#default_value' => isset($defaults->unpublish_on) && $defaults->unpublish_on ? format_date($defaults->unpublish_on, 'custom', $date_format) : '',
-          '#description' => t('Format: %time. Leave blank to disable scheduled unpublishing.', array('%time' => format_date(time(), 'custom', $date_format))),
+          '#description' => t('Format: %time. Leave blank to disable scheduled unpublishing.', array('%time' => $sample_time)),
           '#attributes' => $jscalendar ? array('class' => 'jscalendar') : array()
         );
       }
@@ -187,6 +196,12 @@ function _scheduler_strtotime($str) {
  * @see date()
  */
 function _scheduler_strptime($date, $format) {
+  // this seems needlessly complex. mebbe I'm not seeing something here?
+  // how 'bout we do it like this:
+  if ($format == 'strtotime') {
+    return strtotime($date);
+  }
+  
   # we need to build a regex pattern for the date format
   $date_entities = array('d', 'H', 'h', 'm', 'i', 'a', 'A', 's', 'y', 'Y');
   $date_regex_replacements = array('(\d{2})', '(\d{2})', '(\d{2})', '(\d{2})', '(\d{2})', '([ap]m)', '([AP]M)', '(\d{2})', '(\d{2})', '(\d{4})');