OK, MAYBE NOT SAVED MY LIFE BUT MADE IT WORTH LIVING.

Hi. I am 30. I have been lifting since the 1900's and i love the mechanical aspect, perfecting form, and learning as much as i can. I benched 375 at 15 years old and i love lifting heavy, but i dont want to get a severe injury, hence the focus on form.
I fractured my spine in highschool, my JR. year, and struggle with cronic pain daily. I have done streches, exercises given to me by my doctor, and did rehab a few times. I have also tried pain meds, which make me hurt even more when they wear off The only thing that has helped is what I was told NOT to do...heavy lifting. The squat, deadlift, and all the heavy lifting that works the hell out of my lower back has been THE ONLY THING THAT HELPED. DO NOT get me wrong, it hurts my back like hell. The next day, it is sometimes hard to get out of bed, much less hit the gym. But, overall, it helps my pain and actually helps me be able to do other things in life. I have no mental health problems, but i feel lifting is very theraputic. I get in the zone and i feel as if I leave all my troubles and stress behind. In a way, lifting is my mental and physical therapy.
I have spent a fortune on supplements over the years and the only thing I will spend my money on is cheap creatine and good protein. Supplements are almost exclusively crap, backed by little to no valid research or studies and I will no longer pay these companies to try unproven junk.

A. I love this site. It performs such a valuable function. What is freedom? The ability to make your own choices? If so, then Eroids is a bastion of freedom in a world that tells us what we must do...for our own good..

B. I love the mods. They perform an essential function. It seems that the world, and Eroids, has a surplus of miserable people who have the goal of tearing everyone else down to their miserable level, never offering encouragement or sound advice but instead offering degradation and misinformation. This is where the mods come in. They turn chaos into order, dystopia to eutopia. I especially like hardbodygirl. She takes no shit, offers constructive advice and critism when needed, and what I like the most is that she tries to keep the review thread for reviews. It seems easy to read the rules, and she will let you know it. I think all the mods do a good job. I just noticed her kindness,sharp wit and her crushing scorn.

C. I love the people. Most people, I feel, are like me. They want to live and let live, help and be helped, laugh and make others laugh, basically just be a good person. You know that golden ruled thing...do others the way you want them to do you.

Anyway, I am thrilled to be here and I thank the community for all the info and advice.

On the day of the competition, I come to you for advices.