<p>My dear Gaius Aurelius,</p>
<p>I don't mean to start a fight, exactly, but I get rubbed the wrong way when someone who is (doubtless) an undergrad who has never set foot on even a LORT D stage and may very well be a swooning-diva-God's-gift-to-theater-drama-queen-I-have-no-talent-or-training-but-if-I-pretend-to-be-the-next-coming-of-David-Garrick-and-Sarah-Bernhardt-everyone-will-lick-my-feet type starts telling ME about theater and theater training.</p>
<p>But I'm not trying to start a fight.</p>
<p>Even though you are right, you don't have to be so arrogant you know?</p>
<p>arellav:</p>
<p>I assume you're referring to my little diatribe? You may not have read the whole thread. I said earlier that U Chicago does not have a theater major. Then, there was this reply:</p>
<p>maroonatic:</p>
<p>"There most certainly IS a theater major at the U of C; it's called Theater and Performance Studies, or TAPS, which is part of the Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities program. Do your homework before posting (and don't take anyone's word on anything said here, as it is often factually incorrect)."</p>
<p>Maroonatic accused me of not doing my "homework." S/he also accused me of being "factually incorrect." My response to his/her attack was to counterattack.</p>
<p>The fact is, I spent a considerable amount of time researching this topic and I have considerable expertise in the matter. I freely admit that I don't like it when people who know little about something accuse me of knowing less than they do. </p>
<p>To me, an undergrad (probably) who tells professionals and former professionals that they haven't done their homework and are factually incorrect are arrogant to a tee. I didn't mean my post to be arrogant. I meant it to be sarcastic and cutting, which is what I feel maroonatic deserved.</p>
<p>I read all the threat. And i do undersatand how you feel, I tend to get like that sometimes, but even if you were right you did sound a lil *****y, as if there was nobody who could know more than you do. But its alright though, no I know itwasn't ur intention. Anyways, its nice to know you like theatre a lot. I do so too, although I don't know much about it either. i did perform in at least 8 plays here in Peru, and co-directed one, but I imagine it is a lot less than what you do. And of course, most of these plays were in spanish, so I am sure there we'll be a big difference btw acting here and acting there! hehe</p>
<p>So did you study like theatre and something else? I am no longer sure what I want to do. i love economics, I am just not sure how much I like the jobs one gets after studying it, and theatre I like it a lot...probably will double major in TAPS and econ, but don't know what I'll be doing afterwards. Any advice? I mean, how did you know what you wanted to be/do the rest of ur life?</p>
<p>arellav:</p>
<p>I didn't know what I wanted to do at your age. Actually, I went to college to major in physics. Then I picked up another major in English, so I was double majoring. Then, I found that I was spending all my time at the theater department because I enjoyed it so much, and ended up getting the equivalent of a third major in theater.</p>
<p>In my senior undergrad year, I auditioned at a regional theater conference and was lucky enough to be cast in a top, professional theater. That earned me my union card. I then was cast at several different places around the country where I met my wife. The two of us worked in theater together until it started to put a strain on our marriage, so I got out and went back to school. I got my MS and Ph.D. in psychology. My wife is still in theater.</p>
<p>So, there was no plan. I just followed my interests and it pretty much all worked out. The only advice I would have for you is this:</p>
<p>Life is not about making more money than it takes to be comfortable and to avoid worrying about money. Life is about finding what makes you happy. Find what you love to do, and do that.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Wow...didn't know I was starting something so hostile. Tarhunt, I stand corrected. Sheesh. Sorry.</p>
<p>And...this is why we love theater people. Haha, brilliant!</p>