* Stick this into your /etc/my.cnf (this seems to be the easiest way for waste)  

[client]
port=3306
socket=/tmp/mysql.sock

[mysqld]
port=3306
datadir=/www/mirror/mysql_data
socket=/tmp/mysql.sock
user=mysql

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Download the RPMs (http://www.mysql.com/) 
  MySQL-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm
  MySQL-client-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm
  MySQL-devel-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm
  MySQL-shared-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm

***IMPORTANT: These RPMs are different from the redhat distrutions which amkes
installing perl DBD::mysql different.  You must install client shared
libraries or DBD::mysql install will barf as it can't find mysql_config

* Install the RPMs
  - Note that using the RPMs auto adds user/group mysql into your passwd and group files.

root@waste 08/26 3:23:00am /share [296]# rpm -Uvh MySQL-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm 
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
   1:MySQL                  ########################################### [100%]
Preparing db table
Preparing host table
Preparing user table
Preparing func table
Preparing tables_priv table
Preparing columns_priv table
Installing all prepared tables
020826  3:37:07  /usr/sbin/mysqld: Shutdown Complete


PLEASE REMEMBER TO SET A PASSWORD FOR THE MySQL root USER !
This is done with:
/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root  password 'new-password'
/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h waste  password 'new-password'
See the manual for more instructions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
root@waste 08/26 3:38:24am /share [301]# rpm -Uvh MySQL-client-3.23.52-1.i386.rpm 
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
   1:MySQL-client           ########################################### [100%]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Then you have your own ~/my.cnf 

[client]
host=localhost
user=whomever
password=cleartext