Now that Santa Clara County has returned to the more relaxed red tier, keeping myself and those around me safe is the priority. I will continue wearing a mask whenever I go out or eat out, bringing hand sanitizer with me and washing my hands when I come back home.

After almost a year of working from home, I can’t get used to the idea of going out that often now. I go out only when necessary, even though I long for normalcy.

Under the new rules, restaurants and movie theaters are allowed to resume indoor at 25% capacity and retail stores expand to 50%.

For dining, I prefer to order take-out. If I must dine in, I will request outdoor tables, since people take off their face masks when eating.

It’s spring time now, so more people will dine out with their friends and family. We must still take precautions.

And while indoor dining may benefit customers, many restaurant owners have said that indoor dining at lower capacities won’t help their earnings.

I am also still afraid to go to movie theaters due to the congested space. Netflix, HBO and Disney+ have become my go-to movie platforms, even as I miss the hustle and bustle of going to the theater.

For working out, I prefer to use apps and YouTube videos. I don’t think I’ll be joining any gyms anytime soon.

I hope our life will be back to normal in the near future as more people get vaccinated. Until then, I’ll keep sheltering in place.