setting and using variables in PSQL ????

Hi:

At the PSQL prompt, I want to set some variables based upon query results, or via static assignment, then insert a record with those values.  Sort of like...

select val1 into x from agedata where name = ‘joe_mako’;

select val12 into y from sizedata where name = ‘joe_mako’;

thename := ‘joe_mako’;

insert into newtable (name, age, height) values (thename,x,y);

Some sort of compound insert statement would solve my problem, but in a larger sense, how do you (can you ) do something like this inside a statement blocks of some kind?  I’ve done some PL-pgsql and know about statement blocks in that context.  But I don’t want to have to create a function, use it, then delete it.  Was wondering of something else could be done.

Thanks

-dave