code: def _lookup_user_data(self,*args,**kwargs):
          
          user_data = self.get_user_data()
          data_kind = kwargs.get('data_kind','customization')
          try:
              del(kwargs['data_kind'])
          except KeyError, err:
              pass
          default_value = kwargs['default']
  
          result =  get_dict(user_data,data_kind,*args,**kwargs)
          try:
              result = int(result)
          except:
              pass
  
          if not isinstance(result,default_value.__class__):
              return default_value
          else:
              return result
docs: Generic function for looking up values in
          a user-specific dictionary. Use as follows::
  
             _lookup_user_data('path','to','desired','value','in','dictionary',
                               default = <default value>,
                               data_kind = 'customization'/'saved_searches')