first and foremost my daughter, she is the light of my life. A very close second would be photography. Games, work, reading, tv, and so on... I have no time to be really bored.
Skeuomorphism was always the way to go within the last generation of designers. Apple made it popular, and so this is what people thought as sleek and inspirational. However, since the release of Microsoft's Metro look and feel, people have been starting to lean over to the flat design concept. It would seem Microsoft started a trend.
Question of the day is, which one do you prefer. Flat Design or Skeuomorphism?
I am actually starting to like flat design my self. Use to hate it but it is growing on me. Just love the idea of it and the simplicity.
However, Gradients will always play a major roll in my design skills.
As a self-professed fan-boy I tend to love anything Apple did, whether it be the aforementioned skeuomorphism (Please make an easier word next time designers!) in the past versions of iOS but then when I moved to Metro I, like yourself, fell in love with flat design and the way it looks.
Since then, Apple decided to put flat design in iOS 7 and quite simple, I have to say it looks pretty darn good. Flat design is the future! (Until the next trend takes over )
I have always preferred flat designs and graphics personally. They a;ways just look better to me and appealing is something I want a website to look when it goes live. Or any graphic.