gistfile1.rb

# my apologies for the stupid example but .. 
# rather than the usual something like this:

class Nubble
  before_save  :prepare_something, :if => :not_prepared_already
  after_create :do_something_with_the_nubble, :if => :something_else_happens_to_be_true

  def prepare_something
    # do something lengthy
    self.status = :prepared
  end

  def do_something_with_the_nubble
    # do something else that takes a long time
  end

  def not_prepared_already
    self.status == :prepared
  end

  def something_else_happens_to_be_true
    #@#$%^&*I(OP{
  end
end


# I tend to prefer something like this:

class CreatesNubbles
  def create
    @nubble = Nubble.new
    prepare
    @nubble.save!
    do_something_with_the_nubble
  end

  def prepare
    unless @nubble.prepared?
      # do something lengthy
      @nubble.set_status :prepared
    end
  end

  def something_with_the_nubble
    if something_else_happens_to_be_true
      # do something else that's friggin lengthy
    end
  end
end

# I find it both far easier to read & easier to test. And of course I don't need to
# load rails which make tests wicked fast.