friendships

friendships_controller.rb

    @friends_out = Friendship.where(:user_id=>current_user.id) #users "i" want to be friends with
    @friends_in = Friendship.where(:friend_id=>current_user.id) #users who want to be friend with "me"
    # users who haven't added "my" id to Friendship and vice versa
    # user who are my friend and i'm their friends.

the UsersUser model you have there is similar to the Friendship model in

http://railscasts.com/episodes/163-self-referential-association

You way adds a status, so you just need to accept those who have added you.

I understand what you are doing now with status, is saves the cross referencial query.

thanks.