Every so often (we try for once a week – but it’s probably closer to twice a month) my wife and I take a stroll from our small two bedroom apartment in Pacific Palisades and hike to the beach with the dogs. It’s a nice walk, the weather is so temperate, and seeing the ocean never gets old; we’re incredibly fortunate to be where we are in our lives.

The walks are great, but there is an eyesore; there are increasingly bigger and gaudier boxy homes replacing small single-family dwellings in the community. This is an internal conflict for me: on one hand, I’m a firm believer in the free market and individualism – I’m a libertarian at heart; however, I’m also disappointed in the direction some of these developers and eventual home buyers have taken.

These giant homes just don’t jive with my vision for the world, which, doesn’t necessarily mean my vision is the right one, but it is mine.

All this is to say one thing, I recently found these modular homes made by MADI – an Italian home manufacturer – and they brought a smile to my face. I don’t think every home on the planet needs to look like this, but I generally enjoy the idea that a home can be nice, energy efficient, spacious, and compact.

When I walk through neighborhoods in the LA area, I often wonder, what about a backyard? I see kids kicking a soccer ball on sidewalks because there is nowhere else for them to play – that’s not for me. I know my vision is shaped in part by the lifestyle of my childhood, which included a large backyard during the school year and a 150 plus acre farm when I wasn’t confined in “town.” However, the thought of my future children needing to kick a ball that skids across a paved sidewalk or back alley because there is no yard or field to let their wings spread is disheartening.

I think we can do better than “keep up with the Jones’.” However, it feels like my opinion is not only mine – especially as those in my generation seek out jobs not for the material paycheck but also for the social connection they feel with the organization – whether that’s the direct mission of the company or it involves their company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

That’s my two cents for today.