Complex MySql query

We need a MySQL / DBA expert. We have a mysql databse, a java based webservice using jdbc and mobile apps that communicate with the service. Requirements: 1) Analyze/Make recommendations for optimizing and improving schema of an existing small mysql database (not currently in production, sample data, 8 tables total). Specifically we need recommendations for a Twitter like "follower" table. Our existing table looks like this: create table followers( user bigint, follower bigint, primary key(user, follower), key(follower, user), constraint `fk_user` foreign key (user) references userID(user), constraint `fk_friend` foreign key (friend) references userID(user) ); We need to know the best way to find both the logged in user's followers, and the people he/she is following. Should we also have a "following" table? We would like freelancer to make any database schema improvements. 2) Analyze/Optimize existing query for efficiency, etc. SELECT " + "[login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL], " + "[login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL]," + "[login to view URL], [login to view URL], [login to view URL] " + "FROM catchDetail as cd, ratingMaster as rm, species as sp" + " WHERE [login to view URL] = [login to view URL] and [login to view URL] = [login to view URL] and [login to view URL] = ? " ; 3) Create new query based on existing query - grab id of logged in user - This is done through our mobile app and transmitted to webservice - grab all of the people he is following - see if any of these people have any rows from the first query in the past X days and produce the same results as the first query. We need mixed results from all people the user is following who meet the criteria listed. - limit results to X rows at a time, be able to repeat the query and get the next X results We'll have more consulting work of this type available for the right freelancer. Please contact us with any questions.