chef library variable fail

gistfile1.rb

class Chef
   class Recipe
      def lulz()
         a_bare_var = nil
         node[:a_node_attribute] = nil

         ruby_block "doing_stuff" do
            block do
               a_bare_var = 'rotfl'
               Chef::Log.info("inside, a_bare_var: #{a_bare_var.inspect}")

               node[:a_node_attribute] = 'rotfl'
               Chef::Log.info("inside, node[:a_node_attribute]: #{node[:a_node_attribute].ins
            end
         end

         log("outside, a_bare_var: #{a_bare_var.inspect}"){ level :info }
         log("outside, node[:a_node_attribute]: #{node[:a_node_attribute].inspect}"){ level :

         node.delete('a_node_attribute')
      end
   end
end

DEBUG: Processing ruby_block[doing_stuff] on my.host
INFO: Processing ruby_block[doing_stuff] action create (ssh::default line 95)
INFO: inside, a_bare_var: "rotfl"
INFO: inside, node[:a_node_attribute]: "rotfl"
INFO: ruby_block[doing_stuff] called
DEBUG: Processing log[outside, a_bare_var: nil] on my.host
INFO: Processing log[outside, a_bare_var: nil] action write (ssh::default line 105)
INFO: outside, a_bare_var: nil
DEBUG: Processing log[outside, node[:a_node_attribute]: nil] on my.host
INFO: Processing log[outside, node[:a_node_attribute]: nil] action write (ssh::default line 106)
INFO: outside, node[:a_node_attribute]: nil

Who stole my variable/attribute values?!