Hello, all.
I would like to take this time to introduce myself as a newly-discovered Satanist. I believe I have always been a Satanist and didn't know it. However after a bit of research, I can now legitimately call myself a Satanist. The 9 statements and 11 rules of the Earth are exactly what I have believed in for a long time. They actually lead me to renounce my once-had faith before knowing that they were the inner workings of Satanism. I, like many of you, believe in the natural world and in the belief that I may make my own fate. What we live in is it. And while we are here, we must enjoy our time for ourselves while also making the world a better place for others who are also exercising their right to a wonderful life. All of that being said, I can now attach the label of "Satanist" to myself and feel okay about it.
I first came to even entertaining the thought of being Satanic while watching the black metal documentary "Until The Light Takes Us". There is a scene in which Varg Vikernes, a former member of Burzum, says something about Satanism and he says something to the effect of "it's not like Satanists actually believe in the Devil as a diety." It struck me interesting because I honestly did now know that (or even care enough to think about it, for that matter). I then started to research and it came to my attention that the "Devil" is merely a manifestation of human desire. Everything I had believed in for so long is actually facilitated through the idea of the Devil, not the Devil himself. I very much appreciated this philosophy and is what lead me to finally realize that I am in fact a Satanist.
I do not want to hide this. I do not want this to define me in a negative way. Like many of you, I am a perfectly functioning member of society. I am currently a music student at a university and I am also an active member of the organizations of DCI and WGI. I also teach at a local high school and I absolutely love sharing my passions with the next generation.
I do not think that this newfound Satanic label will have any adverse effects because a) I plan to keep it mostly within my inner circle of friends and b) nothing has changed! I now have a label for what I had already believed in. I am so happy to have now found out exactly what I believe. I had always told my friends and peers that I was an atheist, but beyond that, I was a scientist, a realist, and a humanist. These new codes of ethics and ways of living aren't really new at all! I have just now taken myself from being a rebellious whatever-you-call-it to a part of a large community who feels the exact same way.
I wanted your opinions on what brought you to the CoS and how it has impacted your life in the long term. I also would like any suggestions on good literature to expand my knowledge and insight. I admit, I have not yet read the LaVeyan Bible in full, however I do believe firmly in the 9 statements, I accept the 9 sins, and also believe in the 11 rules of the Earth.
I appreciate all of your support and information.

I wouldn't be so confident about other peoples' understanding. At the very least, I wouldn't let it surprise you if someone reacts negatively to your new found identity.

Everyone else here will also tell you; if you haven't already, read The Satanic Bible. When you are done reading that, check out as much of the other canon works by LaVey as you can, and going even further, there are a lot of great books by other members of the current hierarchy such as The Satanic Scriptures, Bearing the Devils Mark, Essays in Satanism, etc. which I guarantee you will find very entertaining and enlightening. More importantly, try not to repeat the same mistake others have made, and simply take your time with the material; there is really no rush to announce your allegiance to anything, and there is a lot more to Satanism than the nine statements and eleven rules.

It sounds like you have quite a lot going on as an individual apart from that, I have a lot of respect for anyone who puts up with the pressures of teaching, and more importantly, who is passionate about their craft. Welcome - and you should also check out the Church of Satan website. There is extensive, essential information there. There is really quite a lot to "our thing", but that is a good place to start if you can't get your hands on the books right away. If you have any questions, there is also a question forum here where you can ask members of the Hierarchy (AKA, people who are actually qualified to give answers) anything you need, but a good forum search can usually answer most questions anyways.

"I wanted your opinions on what brought you to the CoS and how it has impacted your life in the long term."

At age 20, I was reading the books of various people who were labeled heretics, interested to see what vilified people had to say, and was astonished to find that there was one who I completely agreed with and found quite interesting -- Anton LaVey. I read through The Satanic Bible, and loved it. However, though I now had suspicions that I might be a Satanist, I wanted to be careful before labeling myself one. What else did LaVey have to say? Was I sure I agreed with everything? I explored the rest of his books and found even more that he was a brilliant, entertaining man with a lot of sharp opinions that I found logic in. I realized that indeed, Satanist was an accurate word for me, and threw my lot in with The Church of Satan. Since that time, I've met some enjoyable company, made some friends, and amongst other things, found some very interesting discussions on this board.

I'd like to point out as many shall, it was more than "a bit of research" before I knew I fit the bill. If you have not read The Satanic Bible, do so. Before you start looking for other literature suggestions, start at the start.

Many have come here having read a website page (part of it) or the first 10 pages of The Satanic Bible, claim to be "one of us" or "our peers", only to demonstrate with their posts that they neither understand the philosophy nor have what it takes to live their lives in a Satanic way. They'll spend hours on the message board, attempting to solicit LaVey's philosophy from others, asking for information or answer that are easily found in The Satanic Bible, expecting spoon fed information. It's insulting for someone to claim they are a Satanist when they can't be troubled with purchasing an inexpensive text and taking a week or so to read it and absorb what it says.

I'm not saying you are such a person, but rather, advising you not to be such a person.

It's worthy of note that there have been many who have loved what LaVey has had to say, agree with the principles of Satanism, but have shown in the way they conduct themselves and live their lives that they are indeed not a Satanist. It takes more than just agreeing with the philosophy. One must also have the strength to avoid misery (a difficult task for many), take responsibility in their lives and actions (a very difficult task for many), and live life to the fullest.

Welcome to the forum, but do the work first. Once you have, and you find you do resonate with Satanism, enjoy your time here.

I do realize that a lot of what I have said may be viewed as "premature". I accept that and I am very aware that this is new for me. I have been to the official CoS website and that is where I learned many of the philosophies. I appreciate you all being kind enough to accept this while still being cautious. I did not expect this to be my destination, this is only the start. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I do believe that I have lived my life according to the teachings of LaVey for quite some time now. It has not been followed to a T, however, the framework is there and is what lead me to eventually consider myself a Satanist. I just wanted to take this time and create this post to simply announce my interest and my gratitude for finding such a surprisingly welcoming community. I will be doing my research, trust me. I appreciate your time in offering your own personal insight and again, this is not my destination by any means. "Every jouney begins with a single step." - Lao-tzu