a general code/script question

I'm  working on a project that happens to be using AMPScript in ExactTarget / SalesForce.

The project involves getting a bunch (about 65 values) from various columns in a table (in their lingo a "data extension") and displaying the values in the html body of a email (basically an html page).  This is done using AMPScript which is their in house scripting language for doing this kind of stuff.  It's all done within the document body and there are no external include files etc.  So with about 65 values should I make a block at the top of the document assigning each value or should I just assign the value inline in each instance.  It's on a cloud service and I don't expect any performance constraints with using variables.

For example:

<doc start>
var thing1 = go get the value from the data extension;
var thing2 = go get the value from the data extension;
var thing3= go get the value from the data extension;
var thing4 = go get the value from the data extension;
var thing5 = go get the value from the data extension;
etc etc etc 65 times

Here is the value of thing1= %%thing1%%

Here is the value of thing2= %%thing2%%

Here is the value of thing3= %%thing3%%


OR shoud I use this approach?

Here is the value of thing1= %%go get the value from the data extension;%%

Here is the value of thing2= %%go get the value from the data extension;%%

Here is the value of thing3= %%go get the value from the data extension;%%
etc etc 65 times

I would say the first approach is cleaner and more professional but in the real world which is the best practice?