no need to set vars at all also why are you using $ in ur on action and text events if you are using a wildcard ie *
you need to ad some kind of flood pro to it or risk being flooded

=/

maybe something like this
Oh and this one will set you away & back.

menu Channel {
  . $iif(!$away,Away,Back): away $iif(!$away,$$?"What is your away Reason?")
}
on $*:text:$(/\Q $+ $me $+ \E\b/iS):#:{ $awaynotice($nick) }
on $*:action:$(/\Q $+ $me $+ \E\b/iS):#:{ $awaynotice($nick) }
alias -l awaynotice {
  if ($away && !$hget(away,$1)) { 
    hinc -mu10 away $1
    .notice $nick .:[ I am away ]:. .:[ I Have Been Gone For: $duration($awaytime) ]:. .:[ My Current date & time: $time(m/d/yy h:nn tt) ]:. .:[ Reason: $awaymsg ]:.
  }
}

anyways ur snippet as is has a lot of unnecessary coding along with redundancy. as is id give it a 2/10