obj.login = function(identifier, password, success, failure) {
        var credentials = {
            user_identifier: identifier,
            password: password
        };

        $auth.login(credentials).then(function(auth_response) {
            // fetch user data (with both spectator and rockstar flags set to true)
            User.me(true, true).then(function(response) {
                connectedUser = response.data;
            }, function() {
                connectedUser = {};
            });

            // execute provided success callback
            if (_.isFunction(success)) {
                success(auth_response);
            }
        }, function(response) {
            connectedUser = null;

            // execute provided failure callback
            if (_.isFunction(failure)) {
                failure(response);
            }
        });
    };

obj.getConnectedUser = function(){
        if($auth.isAuthenticated && !connectedUser){
            User.me(true, true).then(function(response) {
                connectedUser = response.data;
            }, function() {
                connectedUser = null;
            });
        }
        return connectedUser;
    };