OP mentions the Baron Fig Confidant II. I personally prefer the Baron Fig Vanguard Softcover Notebook: https://www.baronfig.com/accessories/vanguard-softcover-n

OP mentions the Baron Fig Confidant II. I personally prefer the Baron Fig Vanguard Softcover Notebook: https://www.baronfig.com/accessories/vanguard-softcover-notebook https://www.baronfig.com/accessories/vanguard-softcover-note... It has a sewn binding, lies flat more easily than the larger Confidant II, and is more "disposable" (which the OP mentions being a good thing, though I keep all my notebooks for later reference). It also comes in a variety of sizes, though the "Flagship" size is my go-to. I love the feeling of finishing a notebook, and ones with fewer pages help me get there often. I also find the soft-cover notebooks a bit easier to store than the hardcover ones.