How do I send a javascript variable to a subsequent jquery function? Here is my code.

    <script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {
    var name = $("#name"),
        email = $("#email"),
        password = $("#password"),
        itemid = $("#itemid"),
        tips = $(".validateTips");

    function updateTips(t) {
        tips
            .text(t)
            .addClass('ui-state-highlight');
        setTimeout(function() {
            tips.removeClass('ui-state-highlight', 1500);
        }, 500);
    }

    $("#dialog-form").dialog({

        autoOpen: false,
        height: 320,
        width: 350,
        modal: true,
    /*
        buttons: {
            'Change category': function() {
            alert("The itemid2 is "+itemid2);

                var bValid = true;
                $('#users tbody').append('<tr>' +
                '<td>' + name.val() + '</td>' + 
                '<td>' + email.val() + '</td>' + 
                '<td>' + password.val() + '</td>' +
                '<td>' + itemid.val() + '</td>' +
                '</tr>'); 

                $(this).dialog('close');

            },
            Cancel: function() {
                $(this).dialog('close');
            }
        },
        */
        close: function() {
            allFields.val('').removeClass('ui-state-error');
        }
     });



    $('.changecategory')
        .button()
        .click(function() {
              var categoryid = $(this).attr("categoryid");
              var itemid = $(this).attr("itemid");
              var itemid2 = $(this).attr("itemid");
              var itemtitle = $(this).attr("itemtitle");
              var parenttag = $(this).parent().get(0).tagName;
              var removediv = "itemid_" +itemid;
         alert("The itemid is "+itemid);

            $('#dialog-form').dialog('open');




        });

});
</script>

I'll break it down.

1. The .changecategory section happens FIRST when an image on my page is clicked.
2. $("#dialog-form").dialog({ is then called, and the variable item id is not passed to this function. How can I pass a variable from one function to another? Is that possible.

Is there a way I can pass a variable to another jquery function without having to resort of setting a cookie with javascript and then using jquery to read it?