I've started reading Anti_Patterns:_Refactoring_Software,_Architectures,_and_Projects_in_Crisis by William J. Brown, et. al. (Christmas present! < wheeee! >)

Hi Nancy!
I just ordered this book myself with christmas gift certificates from amazon.com.

It is interesting to me since most of the work I do is on existing systems. I've always had a bit of struggle with Design Patterns. The authors suggest a reason why: that design patterns (applying them) really is appropriate for ground-up, new systems. But often in-place systems need to be, in their words, refactored.

I don't completely buy that. I found my own study of design patterns very useful for looking at a problem in an existing system, figuring how it shoulda/coulda/woulda worked better, then comparing that potential fix to patterns with similar intents.