def parse_string_list_from_string(a_string):
    """
    This just parses a comma separated string and returns an string list
    
    Args: 
        a_string (str): The string to be parsed
        
    Returns:
        A list of strings
        
    Author: SMM
    
    Date: 10/01/2018
    """
    print("Hey pardner, I'm a gonna parse a string into a list. Yeehaw.")
    if len(a_string) == 0:
        print('No items found, I am returning and empty list.')
        return_list = []
    else:
        return_list = a_string.split(',')
        print('The parsed string is:')
        print(return_list)
    return return_list
