The Breaker Times

Back in the Mad Men days, the only thing that might interrupt the corporate blandness of a workspace might be a photo of your family or maybe a coffee cup with a funny saying. But nowadays, especially if we’re working at home, we can have some pretty interesting, weird, or just plain nice-looking items on our desks.

We asked the folks here at The Verge what they have on their desks or in their offices that they keep just for the hell of it — because they like it, because it means something special, or just because. Here are some of the answers we got.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto, commerce / deals writer

One year ago, my wife and I were forced to say goodbye to one of our two beloved cats, Pouncey. She was a caring companion of over 11 years that my wife adopted as a kitten shortly before we started dating, making her a fixture in our relationship. That made it all the more traumatic when our farewell, due to her deteriorating health, was more sudden than expected. But in addition to all the photos and videos we have to remind us of our bestest girl (apologies to our eight-month-old daughter), I’m given a heart-warming reminder of Pouncey every time I sit down at my desk.

When I got my Meletrix Zoom75 mechanical keyboard from a long-awaited group buy preorder last year, I opted for the built-in LCD add-on because — well, why not? And, maybe unsurprisingly, once I built my board with that little screen inside it, I wondered, “Okay, what do I do with this thing?” So, I left it displaying something boring like battery level.

After Pouncey’s passing, I reconsidered the looping GIF feature and decided to put a cute clip of our girl on there. The GIF was just a burst of images from a random day, and if you look closely, you can see her eyes adorably widen once she notices me taking her picture. We now refer to it as The Pouncey Keyboard, and while it’s bittersweet to see her nuzzling on my desk but unable to feel her soft fur or hear her gentle purrs, I love seeing “our Pouncey-girl” every day.

Sean Hollister, senior editor

Whenever I’m feeling a little worn out, I’ve got an extra life sitting on my desk. My family bought me this Legend of Zelda heart container one year ago, so it encapsulates their love, too! (Less significant if you buy it for yourself, so I’d recommend gifting it instead.) It glows when you press the front button, and that’s it. Two AA batteries won’t power it for months on end, so turn it off when you’re feeling cheerful again! You can also import a Tears of the Kingdom version based on the newer game.

Allison Johnson, reviewer

I get cold feet about putting nails in the wall in my office (which, incidentally, is also my bedroom). So, I end up with a pile of little things I kind of want to put on the wall but can’t commit to, like something my kid drew or the mess of tech event badges in my desk drawer. But recently, I’ve been on a command strip kick, putting up little hooks and clips around the house, and I started using them to decorate the wall behind my desk. 

The clothespin-type clips are perfect; I can swap in a new piece of cute kid artwork whenever I want, and I don’t have to commit to their placement. That’ll come in handy if I want to rearrange my office — er, bedroom — and I’ve never had a problem taking them off the wall damage-free.

Adi Robertson, senior tech & policy editor

I keep a paper planner and notepad(s) for tracking stories and meetings, and the TWSBI Eco (in creme rose gold with burgundy Noodler’s ink) is my favorite writing implement for all of them. It’s a reasonably priced fountain pen that’s attractive, not hard to fill, and feels good to fidget with.

I’m not really one for desk trinkets, but I love this Link amiibo for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. I get inspired by the way Link seems to be using his Ultrahand powers to craft a better world around him. If he can do it, maybe I can, too — though I might have to make things happen without a magical arm.

Kylie Robison, senior AI reporter

My tiny Moleskine notebook keeps track of my whole life — I go through about two a year. That’s where I keep my weekly and monthly calendars, along with any source / general meeting notes. I use micron pens because they’re simply the best, and I keep them in a Kirby pencil case that I’ve even shown off in Verge videos (see above). I just recently redid my entire home office, and part of that was lots of decor, my favorite being an LED Majora’s Mask.

Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor

I love Dorothy Parker, both for her writing and for her acrid personality. I once even bought a bottle of gin because it was named after her (and, to tell you the truth, it wasn’t half bad). So, when I spotted her among a plethora of famous people finger puppets at a book fair a few years ago, I simply had to buy it. The Parker puppet has a small magnet on the back of its head, so it can easily hang on any metal surface. In fact, I brought it with me when I started working at The Verge, and when I accidentally left it in the office during lockdown in 2020, I was bereft. Luckily, Dorothy hung in there throughout the pandemic, and she’s now back in my home office, grinning sardonically at me.

Victoria Song, senior reviewer

A while back, a friend gave me this adorable cat-shaped desk note holder as a souvenir from Beijing. At first, I didn’t know what to do with it. Then, I started putting motivational notes into it, and surprisingly, that worked. After a while, I started printing or writing out the occasional meme. (Why, yes, I did write the entirety of Vice President Kamala Harris’ coconut tree speech on a Post-It one week.) When I’m really in need of strength, I stick on a photocard of my favorite K-pop singer.

This only really holds one note at a time, which helps keep me creative week-to-week. Most importantly, it reminds me to take breaks and laugh at myself whenever I get too self-serious. I don’t know where to get this exact desk note holder, but you can find a bunch of fun ones on Amazon and Etsy.