def get_user_items(options={}, limit = 10, offset = 0)
    # defaults
    params = {
      :conditions => ['(items.deleted = ? OR items.deleted IS NULL) AND (items.already_purchased = ? OR items.already_purchased IS NULL)', false, false],
      :limit => limit,
      :offset => offset,
      :order => 'items.date_added_to_list DESC',
      :include => [{:amazon_item => [:yahoo_item, {:taggings => :tag}]}, :amazon_item]
    }

    # merge the conditions
    if conditions = options.delete(:conditions) and !conditions.first.blank?
      params[:conditions] = [
        "(#{params[:conditions][0]}) AND (#{conditions[0]})",
        *(params[:conditions][1..-1] + conditions[1..-1])
      ]
    end
    # merge the rest of the params
    params.merge!(options)
    # do the find
    items.find(:all, params)
  end