Elegantly selecting attributes from has_many :through join models in Rails

class Item < ActiveRecord::Base
      has_many :catalog_items
      has_many :catalogs, :through => :catalog_items
end

@item         = Item.find(4)
@catalog      = @item.catalogs.first
@cat_item     = @item.catalog_items.first(:conditions => {:catalog_id => @catalog.id})
position      = @cat_item.position

class Item < ActiveRecord::Base
      has_many :catalog_items
      has_many :catalogs, :through => :catalog_items, :select => "catalogue_items.position, catalogs.*"
end

# which is basically same as your "frustrating way" of doing it
@item.catalog_items.find_by_catalogue_id(@item.catalogs.first.id).position

def position_in_first_catalogue
  self.catalog_items.find_by_catalogue_id(self.catalogs.first.id).position
end

@item.position_in_first_catalogue

class Catalog < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :catalog_item
end

@item = Item.find(4)
position = @item.catalog_items.first.position