proper way to access a field value in drupal

gistfile1.php

<?php  
  // Check if the value of a field is equal to the $pathway variable.

  $pathway = 'category 1';

  try {
    if (arg(0) == 'node' && is_numeric(arg(1))) {
      $wrapper = entity_metadata_wrapper('node', arg(1));
      if ($wrapper->field_FIELD_NAME->value()->name != $pathway) {
        return TRUE;
      }
    }
  } catch (Exception $e) {
    drupal_set_message($e->getMessage(), 'error');
  }
?>

The down side to this approach is that once an error occurs, none of the other subsequent lines will be run. Therefore, if "field_name" does not exist but "field_date" does, none of the variables you intended to set will be set.