It helps in that I don't have the metallic ring spine digging into my hand (I only write on the recto of the pages. I guess I could write from left to right and write on the verso, but that feels weirder). So this is what my notebook looks like:

http://i.imgur.com/SSc29KLl.jpg the page flipped over to the right being the previous page, and the page under the one visibly written on being the next page.

Sadly, I still have to be careful when I write, otherwise it is a smudge fest (especially with a fountain pen; fortunately, I had a few grade school teachers who taught me how to write with my hand positioned in a way that minimizes smudges)

Update: Just came back from Muji with quite a bit of stationery!