diff --git a/vimrc b/vimrc
index 3e143ac7..acb2a8d3 100644
--- a/vimrc
+++ b/vimrc
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ map <Leader>rt :!ctags --extra=+f -R *<CR><CR>
 " make and python use real tabs
 autocmd FileType make   set noexpandtab
 autocmd FileType python set noexpandtab
+autocmd BufRead,BufNewFile {Gemfile,Rakefile,Thorfile} set ft=ruby
 
 " allow backspacing over everything in insert mode
 set backspace=indent,eol,start
@@ -58,9 +59,7 @@ cmap <C-P> <C-R>=expand("%:p:h") . "/" <CR>
 autocmd VimEnter * NERDTree
 autocmd VimEnter * wincmd p
 
-function ChangeDirectory(dir)
-  execute "cd " . a:dir
-
+function s:UpdateNERDTree()
   if exists("t:NERDTreeBufName")
     if bufwinnr(t:NERDTreeBufName) != -1
       NERDTree
@@ -69,5 +68,54 @@ function ChangeDirectory(dir)
   endif
 endfunction
 
-command -nargs=1 -complete=file ChangeDir :call ChangeDirectory(<f-args>)
-cabbrev cd <c-r>=(getcmdtype()==':' && getcmdpos()==1 ? 'ChangeDir' : 'cd')<CR>
+function s:CommandCabbr(abbreviation, expansion)
+  execute 'cabbrev ' . a:abbreviation . ' <c-r>=getcmdpos() == 1 && getcmdtype() == ":" ? "' . a:expansion . '" : "' . a:abbreviation . '"<CR>'
+endfunction
+
+function s:FileCommand(name, ...)
+  if exists("a:1")
+    let funcname = a:1
+  else
+    let funcname = a:name
+  endif
+
+  execute 'command -nargs=1 -complete=file ' . a:name . ' :call ' . funcname . '(<f-args>)'
+endfunction
+
+function s:DefineCommand(name, destination)
+  call s:FileCommand(a:destination)
+  call s:CommandCabbr(a:name, a:destination)
+endfunction
+
+function ChangeDirectory(dir)
+  execute "cd " . a:dir
+  call s:UpdateNERDTree()
+endfunction
+
+function Touch(file)
+  execute "!touch " . a:file
+  call s:UpdateNERDTree()
+endfunction
+
+function Remove(file)
+  let current_path = expand("%")
+  let removed_path = fnamemodify(a:file, ":p")
+
+  echo current_path . ", " . removed_path
+  echo getbufvar("%", "&modified")
+  if (current_path == removed_path) && (getbufvar("%", "&modified"))
+    echo "You are trying to remove the file you are editing. Please close the buffer first."
+  else
+    execute "!rm " . a:file
+  endif
+endfunction
+
+function Edit(file)
+  execute "e " . a:file
+  call ChangeDirectory(system("dirname " . a:file))
+endfunction
+
+call s:DefineCommand("cd", "ChangeDirectory")
+call s:DefineCommand("touch", "Touch")
+call s:DefineCommand("rm", "Remove")
+call s:DefineCommand("e", "Edit")