#change lines from above
my($color1 ...); #becomes
my $prefs;
#bind_columns becomes
  $sth->bind_columns( \my( $c1, $c2, $fs ) );
  $prefs={ color1 => $c1, color2 => $c2, fontsize => $fs };
#later to get a pref
print "My favorite color is $prefs->{color1}\n";