the best practice of writing active record

[eluser]toopay[/eluser]
[quote author="wolfgangerstorm" date="1306488402"]
I used this kind of function because I only need to access one function and make sure that only one query is executed everytime...[/quote]

Your code is indeed weird, but if it can serve your (unique) needs, then go with them. I have been see more bizzare structure then yours, and as long as they work as expected, then it fine(IMO). I just suggest you, to only refactor it(to make them clean), not change the behaviour.