A couple of weeks ago I decided to ask my Bit Rebels team members to send me a picture of them when they were younger and answer a few question about their childhood. I have always thought it fascinating that we grew up in completely different parts of the world, are roughly the same ages (no secrets here, but no stats either 
) all have a passion for design and creativity, which is what brought us all together to write for Bit Rebels. Our stories and experiences, passions and imaginations give each article a different angle, so we can bring you fresh and interesting bits of our creative world every day.
Despite our differences, we have many similarities. I noticed most of us developed some kind of creative outlet between ages 5-7, liked drawing and playing legos. Hope you enjoy this fun mini-interview with each of our writers.
Richard Darell
Now a recording artist, producer, songwriter and all over creative mind, Richard runs the well-known design blog Minervity.com as well as several other successful sites. If you ever wondered why you see a stream of Richard’s tweets almost 21 hours of the day… he only sleeps between 3AM-6AM. He doesn’t mind eating pizza for breakfast, but tea any time of the day while juggling lots of creative projects all at once. His bad hair days (see below) are now replaced with style, handsome good looks and a few tattoos 
(oops, does Mom know?)
1. Where were you born?
I was born in mid summer in Stockholm, Sweden.
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
Started playing guitar and singing when I was 7. I also had a huge interest in computers (Spectrum 16k, Commodore 64, Atari 128, Amiga 500 etc.) I was one of the biggest nerds in my class and wanted to do something creative rather than “waste” time on kids disco’s and stuff like that. LOL
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be an athlete (100m and long jump) when I was young. Did quite well but later at the age of 12 I had to choose between music and sports. I decided music was the way to go…and I guess I haven’t regretted that decision since.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
Guess I already answered that but I loved just playing around with the computers and to compose music on them. I remember having a software called “Soundtracker” that I was fascinated with. It could play 16 sounds at the same time! Back then it was a HUGE thing. LOL Also created “Demos” which me and my best friend David put together. We used to spend long ours on assembler, graphics and music in order to come up with the latest and greatest.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
I would play with Lego for sure. I loved those blocks and still do. I think I would also fly kites a lot more. Sometimes it seems it’s a dying art of spare time fun. Maybe take a couple of days just drawing something. Now why did you have to go and ask that question…ahh, the freedom one had back then. LOL
Misty Belardo
Recently she went ice skating for the first time. I had a good chuckle, remembering back to the days I would celebrate my birthdays on the ice-skating rink. Misty is a dedicated Social Media fanatic, blogger and creative spirit. She is always charges the atmosphere with positivity and excitement, loves to connect with people around the world and brags about everybody else but herself. Find out more about her now : )
1. Where were you born?
San Juan De Dios Hospital, Philippines
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
I already did a lot of drawings starting at the age of 6 and loved playing Lego and Made my own Paper Dolls. I would draw my own doll and make clothes for them using paper and colored them with crayons and markers
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to become a teacher and a baker, I don’t really know why, all I know was I loved writing on blackboards (complete with colored chalk) and loved helping out my mom when she would bake cookies, pies, bread and cakes for us.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
Aside from drawing, I did enjoy playing a lot as a kid. I played with my Barbie Dolls and Fisher Price Toys as well as Play soccer, Tag and Hide and Seek. I also enjoyed riding my bicycle and small motor bike.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
I would most probably do the same and play all day and draw all day. The beauty of being a kid was that we had the freedom to just enjoy life, be creative and be free of life’s worries.
Arnt Eriksen
Arnt and I both love cars and gadgets, although he probably loves his Ducati more Besides Bit Rebels, Arnt also hosts a show called SofaPrat, is a Social Media Evangelist and serves as such at Sermo Consulting and loves a good coffee.
1. Where were you born?
I was born in a small village in Norway called Mosjøen.
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
I loved to draw, my specialty were horses, boats, and all the Disney characters (I’m a huge disney fan)
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
My parents had a print shop, so I always loved the graphic industry, but decided at the age of 14 to work in advertising
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
Favorite thing to do was to be outside in the woods and play and go on adventures; Cowboys and Indians, Indiana Jones on adventures, and other than that – doing all kinds of technical constructions with my Lego and drawing (of course)
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
With all the gadgets available today, I would probably be stuck with my face buried in them – unfolding my creative skills within moviemaking, design and other creative and gaming activities.
Diana Adams
Away from Bit Rebels, Diana has a huge heart for her community, working with the homeless and encouraging everyone around her. She works along side her husband in their IT consultancy, is a twitter fanatic, loves to write and teach her son how to be the next twitter guru. Her energy and dedication are relentless.
1. Where were you born?
Aiken, South Carolina, USA
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
I was very much into music and writing. I played the flute for hours every day when the other kids were playing outside. I was very focused on music. I wrote my first piece when I was 5 years old. My teacher made sure it got into the local newspaper. I thought I was famous.
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be an archeologist or paleontologist. I think I had every dinosaur book ever written. I even had a dinosaur birthday cake when I turned 7. Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus and Triceratops were my favorites. I never liked Tyrannosaurus Rex. He was mean and nasty.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
My favorite things to do were ride horses, roller skate and visit my Grandma and Granddaddy on Hilton Head Island. Ironically, even after spending so much time at the beach, I never really learned how to swim.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
My father died when he was young. If I could be a kid again, I would have told him I loved him a lot more. Also, if I could be a kid again, I would have gotten dirty a lot more. I remember I was always so prim and proper dressed in pretty dresses, socks made of lace and shiny black shoes. I would have played in the mud, gotten completely filthy and then jumped in every rain puddle. This is not to say that I live with any regrets, I don’t. I am the person I am today because of my experiences, and I cherish every one of them!
Christian Collard
Our newest team member has his hands in all kinds of projects. During the day he works at the Boston Globe in Direct Marketing, at night he is the super hero his kids dream about. He loves all things geek, design and ranch dressing. (don’t ask)
1. Where were you born?
Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
Loved to build and design things with Legos… like exotic sports cars.
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I thought I’d grow up to play in the NHL or NBA. My dreams fell short. Like 5’4″ short.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
My favorite thing to do was just pretend. I had the best trips to the moon and Fraggle Rock.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
If I could be a kid again I’d probably try and give my parents less of a hard-time and pick up my room when I was told. I am currently paying for my bad behavior with my own kids.
Rob MacKay
Rob has yet to convince me that Yorkshire tea is better than PG Tips. He drinks it more than I do, and I drink a lot of tea (and coffee). He is a dedicated technology geek, designer, gamer and dad. His husbandry skills blow me away, as he breaks away from our convos to help his wife around the palace. Rob’s sound effect will make you fall off your chair, as you can tell from below, he has a creative imagination.
1. Where were you born?
In a hospital. Ok ok, I was born in the Roman City of Chester (UK) framed by the rolling hills and mountains of Wales to the west, the winding River Dee and the flat Cheshire plains to the east.
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
Being creative. Yea I’m trying to be funny now… I did quite a lot really, I loved and still love science, so I had a science kit and covered the kitchen with an explosive lentil experiment regularly. As a male I also had a small obsession to fire, burning stuff and blowing stuff up, some see this as destructive, I see it as creating destruction. I really liked making air fix models too – planes mostly and also had a remote controlled glider and petrol plane. I also did lots of drawing, cartoons and making up cartoon characters.
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Not go to school, no seriously. I hated school with a passion. I would have loved to have been a pilot too, but I did not have the mathematical aptitude.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
Eat and play computer games. I was born a gamer, and I am sure I will die a gamer.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
Eat and play computer games… I would also try and be a little more confident, I was a very quiet child. I would also not let my mum cut my hair. haha I think I would try harder at my Maths – as I know I can do it now, I just had a bad teacher.
Andrea La Valleur
Writing about myself seems strangely odd….so I will share a few things you may not know about me. On Saturdays I work with a group of kids in a low-income neighborhood, making stacks of pancakes, teaching them how to be the fastest at finishing their word searches and chase them around the park. It keeps me young lol. I love all things design, art, coffee and fast cars.
1. Where were you born?
In a hospital in Cambridge, England.
2. What was your creative outlet as a kid?
I got my handing into many creative things. I was always cutting, gluing, painting and making things. I won my first competition when I was 5, the artwork was exhibited at the world famous ‘Mathildenhohe’, the center of the Art Nouveau movement in Darmstadt, Germany. Seriously, this sounds more exciting than I remember lol. I also loved Legos. I would build the craziest things.
3. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I started taking pictures when I was 6 or 7 (my mum was a pro photographer). I always thought I would be a fashion photographer, so I studied photography under a commercial photographer and a studio photographer when I was in high-school.
4. What was your favorite thing to do?
In my younger years I just loved to make stuff (and I still do). Even though I had the dolls, I usually played with my (authentic) tool kit in my dad’s shop. I was always making something.
5. If you could be a kid again, what would you do?
I loved my childhood. We did all kinds of fun things and traveled around Europe and the USA. Don’t think I would change too much, besides make my sisters life a little bit less mad lol.
1. Where were you born?
1. Where were you born?
![Social Media Advice From A Grandma [9 Pics]](http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Grandmother-Social-Media-Tips-Main.jpg "Social Media Advice From A Grandma [9 Pics]")
![Social Media Background Checks: Modern Day Job Screening [Chart]](http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Social-Media-Job-Recruitment-Main.jpg "Social Media Background Checks: Modern Day Job Screening [Chart]")
![Social Media Marketing Breakdown: The Numbers [Infographic]](http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/social-media-marketing-trees-infographic.jpg "Social Media Marketing Breakdown: The Numbers [Infographic]"){kind=small}
![The Angry Birds Addiction Explained [Infographic]](http://www.bitrebels.com/mainimages/Angry_Birds_Addictiong_Explanation_Infographic.jpg "The Angry Birds Addiction Explained [Infographic]"){kind=small}
