diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 2249ae0b1..1608bbe58 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -7,54 +7,41 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../spec_helper'
 
 describe User do
-  before do
-    @user = Factory.create(:user)
-    @aspect = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
-  end
+  let(:user)   { Factory(:user) }
+  let(:aspect) { user.aspect(:name => 'heroes') }
 
   describe '#diaspora_handle' do 
     it 'uses the pod config url to set the diaspora_handle' do
-      @user.diaspora_handle.should == @user.username + "@example.org"
+      user.diaspora_handle.should == user.username + "@example.org"
     end
   end
 
-
-
-  describe 'profiles' do
+  context 'profiles' do
     it 'should be able to update their profile and send it to their friends' do
-      Factory.create(:person)
+      updated_profile = { :profile => {
+                            :first_name => 'bob',
+                            :last_name => 'billytown',
+                            :image_url => "http://clown.com"} }
 
-      updated_profile = {:profile => {:first_name => 'bob', :last_name => 'billytown', :image_url => "http://clown.com"}}
-
-      @user.update_profile(updated_profile).should == true
-      @user.profile.image_url.should == "http://clown.com"
+      user.update_profile(updated_profile).should be true
+      user.profile.image_url.should == "http://clown.com"
     end
   end
 
-  describe 'aspects' do
-    it 'should delete an empty aspect' do
-      @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == true
-      @user.drop_aspect(@aspect)
-      @user.reload
+  context 'aspects' do
+    let(:user2)   { Factory(:user) }
+    let(:aspect2) { user2.aspect(:name => 'stuff') }
 
-      @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == false
+    it 'should delete an empty aspect' do
+      user.drop_aspect(aspect)
+      user.aspects.include?(aspect).should == false
     end
 
     it 'should not delete an aspect with friends' do
-      user2   = Factory.create(:user)
-      aspect2 = user2.aspect(:name => 'stuff')
-      user2.reload
-      aspect2.reload
-
-      friend_users(@user, Aspect.find_by_id(@aspect.id), user2, Aspect.find_by_id(aspect2.id))
-      @aspect.reload
-
-      @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == true
-
-      proc{@user.drop_aspect(@aspect)}.should raise_error /Aspect not empty/
-
-        @user.reload
-      @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == true
+      friend_users(user, Aspect.find_by_id(aspect.id), user2, Aspect.find_by_id(aspect2.id))
+      aspect.reload
+      proc{user.drop_aspect(aspect)}.should raise_error /Aspect not empty/
+      user.aspects.include?(aspect).should == true
     end
   end