--- a/makeitso/python_package/{{package}}/{{main}}.py	Fri May 16 23:59:10 2014 -0700
+++ b/makeitso/python_package/{{package}}/{{main}}.py	Sat May 24 18:24:17 2014 -0700
@@ -16,12 +16,29 @@
 here = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 string = (str, unicode)
 
+def ensure_dir(directory):
+    """ensure a directory exists"""
+    if os.path.exists(directory):
+        assert os.path.isdir(directory)
+        return directory
+    os.makedirs(directory)
+    return directory
+
 
 class Parser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
     """CLI option parser"""
     def __init__(self):
         argparse.ArgumentParser.__init__(self, description=__doc__)
+        self.options = None
 
+    def parse_args(self, *args, **kw):
+        options = argparse.ArgumentParser.parse_args(*args, **kw)
+        self.validate(options)
+        self.options = options
+        return options
+
+    def validate(self, options):
+        """validate options"""
 
 def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
     """CLI"""
@@ -31,4 +48,4 @@
     options = parser.parse_args(args)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-  main()
+    main()