A quiet record of desk days—what I’m writing, working on, and figuring out along the way. This is Desk Diaries.
This year, summer rolled in like it always seems to: quietly, then all at once. My desk days have been more frequent as I continue making progress on a secret web project, window open, lawnmower sounds humming in the air. With PTO and summer holidays coming up, I’ve been thinking more and more about how to balance my hobby and desk time with outdoor activities, and it’s been difficult to say the least. Alas, that is the downside of being overambitious—it’s a constant struggle trying to juggle everything I want to do. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been up to at my desk lately.
First, I moved into my summer book.
At the beginning of June, I started my new bullet journal for the summer, and honestly, it was the fresh start I needed. Part of the appeal of seasonal journaling for me is getting that fresh-start feeling the new year offers in the other three months, too—March for spring, June for summer, and August for fall. This time was no expectation.
Blank slate, new summer mindset—my journal has been a comforting place I return to frequently throughout the day. And since posting about it on Threads and Instagram, I received over 150K views, 400 new followers, and dozens of comments and DMs about my process, journals, and stickers. It’s been fun chatting with other journal enthusiasts about my book this month, and if you have a question too, don’t be shy!
(And if you missed my Spring 2026 Archive Reel, you can check it out on Instagram.)
And then I took fountain pen ink recs.
After buying my first fountain pen this spring, I realized I know absolutely nothing about it—especially ink. I’ve tried two different brands so far and haven’t absolutely loved them, so I did what anyone else would do when making such an important life decision: I asked strangers on the internet.
The recs I received were far and wide. A clear winner was Pilot Iroshizuku, which I intend to order as soon as I’m done writing this post. I’ve never been in a rush to enter the fountain pen world, but shortly after publishing my book, I deemed it necessary as an author. Oddly, it feels a bit like a rite of passage, and it’s an investment I’m willing to make for my journaling practice.
Meanwhile, I’ve been head-down in project ideas and progress, which I’m really excited to share soon. And when I’m not doing that or journaling at my desk, I’ve been playing Nintendo Switch 2. (The Adventures of Elliot, anyone?)
What have you been up to at your desk lately? Leave a comment and let me know.
Want more Desk Diaries content? Follow me on Threads and Instagram @meganportorreal for more. I also share exclusive posts on Ko-fi and collections on Pinterest.
