Hi Alabaster Dream and welcome!
There are many roads to the type of musician you want to be, but ultimately it's up to you to choose the paths which makes it a challenge and a joy as well. Many musicians receive formal education whereas many others pick it up on their own. Both require a lot of practice, and a lot of patience.
Music theory and composition help you gain a fundamental base from which to grow from. If that helps you, then go for it! On the other hand, there is only so much that you can 'study' about music before you just have to do it and express yourself. So it's good to have training but don't get too caught up in the lessons that you forget why you're there!
To mix for a living is not dumb at all, if I could be doing that - hey, I would! but I don't yet have the talent, time or eqipment to make it possible but I (and most of us here) are all aspiring, so respect your dream!
I do. As for spinning vs. software they are very different at times. Simply put, software synth/sequencers are often for people who wish to 'create' their own original music, whereas spinning/mixing utilizes music that already exists, for like a DJ who spins existing records to move a crowd. Then there are the DJ's who create their own work, and yes, there is overlap. But that's the general jist.
Reason is a great way to start - and don't be discouraged by the learning curve! The skills you pick up in reason are not lost for hardware mixers/effects/modules/etc. Keep on learning and best of luck!
