def _record_call(func):
    """
    A decorator that logs a call into the global error context.

    This is probably for internal use only.
    """

    @wraps(func)
    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
        global global_error_context

        # log a call as about to take place
        if global_error_context is not None:
            key = CallLogKey(name=func.__name__,
                             args=[serialize_object_for_logging(arg) for arg in args],
                             kwargs={k: serialize_object_for_logging(v) for k, v in kwargs.items()})

            pre_entry = CallLogValue(timestamp_in=datetime.utcnow(),
                                     timestamp_out=None,
                                     return_value=None)
            global_error_context.log[key] = pre_entry

        val = func(*args, **kwargs)

        # poke the return value of that call in
        if global_error_context is not None:
            post_entry = CallLogValue(timestamp_in=pre_entry.timestamp_in,
                                      timestamp_out=datetime.utcnow(),
                                      return_value=serialize_object_for_logging(val))
            global_error_context.log[key] = post_entry

        return val

    return wrapper