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Using method missing in Rails
def bill_date_human
    date = self.bill_date || Date.today
    date.strftime('%b %d, %Y')
  end
  def bill_date_human=(date_string)
    self.bill_date = Date.strptime(date_string, '%b %d, %Y')
  end

[:bill_date, :registration_date, :some_other_date].each do |attr|
  define_method("#{attr}_human") do
    (send(attr) || Date.today).strftime('%b %d, %Y')
  end

  define_method("#{attr}_human=") do |date_string|
    self.send "#{attr}=", Date.strptime(date_string, '%b %d, %Y')
  end
end

column_names.grep(/_date$/)

def method_missing(method_name, *args, &block)
  # delegate to superclass if you're not handling that method_name
  return super unless /^(.*)_date(=?)/ =~ method_name

  # after match we have attribute name in $1 captured group and '' or '=' in $2
  if $2.blank?
    (send($1) || Date.today).strftime('%b %d, %Y')
  else
    self.send "#{$1}=", Date.strptime(args[0], '%b %d, %Y')
  end
end

class MyModel < ActiveRecord::Base

  attribute_method_suffix '_human'

  def attribute_human(attr_name)
    date = self.send(attr_name) || Date.today
    date.strftime('%b %d, %Y')
  end
end