The longer I work at this (Programming Professionally), the more I realize that I need to learn more about design...good design.

I've learned a lot from talking with others and reading and doing but I've never really be taught anything about design...Well yes college did have the appropriate descussions about Top-Down, Bottom-Up, Waterfall...

There comes a time though when all that book knowledge is thought of as useless.

Pretty soon I'll be starting a new project....I'll be at point A needing to get to point B... Since point B is a finished, working, well designed product, maybe the analogy I should have chosen is that of a building...
I have the basic tools and some experience, but how do I intelligently take this pile of lumber, bucket of nails, hammer, chisel, etc. and end up with a nice finished product??? Obviously, only by executing a good design. Well, I got the paper and pencil, and a big eraser...now what?

Where can I turn to acquire the skills to be able to make that good design? Does anyone out there help people like me? Or must I stumble some more?

I honestly don't feel that I'm all that bad at what I do...but I do know that what can be done is far more than I have done...but that brought along properly, I too can do great things.

Where do I start?
I've read Hacker's Guide, and The Pro's Talk, and What Every Programmer Should Know About Object-Oriented Design. I've got a few titles on my wish list (Hentenwerke stuff and others), but I recognize that I don't learn best just from reading (and I read slow).

I learned a lot from Jim Duffy at TakeNote, but a week and a half can only lay a foundation. I want to start building on that foundation.

I guess that means I'm looking for your insight and guidance.