I see that you are pushing for my but I am not convinced that is the best choice based ...  eval('"' . $ourcode . '"'); ...

For the moment you can just take my our word for it :) I know it sounds like an appeal to authority, but its the benefit of experience speaking

I can't think of too many reasons that another script might call on variables within this script, so I may go with my after all.

Well, you really should be writing modules instead of scripts, see Simple Module Tutorial and Program Repair Shop ( Declarations and File-Scope "my" Variables )