ll = [i for i in ll if i]
out = []
for k, g in groupby(ll, key=lambda x: ord(x)):
out.append(chr(k))
print(out)
#prints ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', ...
In [1]: month_report = ['October', 'November']
In [2]: cycle_report = ['October, monthly', 'November, monthly']
In [3]: for month in month_report:
...: for cycle in cycle_report:
...: if month + ', monthly' == cycle:
...: print('yes')
...:
yes
yes