## spec_helper.rb

  config.global_fixtures = :users, :hubs, :pages, :layouts, :divs, :roles, :rolemaps, :event_categories

  module GlobalSpecHelper
    def get_user
      @user = users(:tesla)
    end

    def do_login
      get_user
      session[:user_id] = @user.id
    end
  end

## account_spec.rb

module AccountSpecHelper
  include GlobalSpecHelper
...
end

describe "Account#create_default_groups" do
  include AccountSpecHelper

  before(:each) do
    get_user
  end

  it "should ... whatever" do
    ...
  end
end

## output when all specs are run (from TextMate... it's a little more verbose than the command line)

Account#create_default_groups
create new groups

You have a nil object when you didn't expect it!
You might have expected an instance of ActiveRecord::Base.
The error occurred while evaluating nil.[]

trunk/spec/spec_helper.rb:41 :in `get_user'
trunk/spec/models/account_spec.rb:228

39  module GlobalSpecHelper
40    def get_user
41      @user = users(:tesla)
42    end
43
44# gem install syntax to get syntax highlighting