So today was one of those days where something little turned into something big. And not ‘good’ big.
One of our systems at work needed a security patch. As with any system update, we put a fair bit of planning into it, but since this was a mere patch rather than a major update I assumed this would be a relatively routine process.
I was wrong.
We started the update at about 5pm … and quickly managed to render my employer’s main website inaccessible for almost two hours. Clearly not the outcome we were aiming for. Nor did it make for a fun evening.
Fortunately I’d already headed home (we typically do these updates after working hours, so I coordinate them from home). Also, we had a third party managing the update for us, so there was minimal ‘hands-on’ support for me to provide. This meant, conveniently, that I was able to cook dinner for the Kinderbesten while the rest of the world was falling apart. I was also fortunate that they were able to keep themselves occupied when I needed them to, even if it meant a little more iPad time than I’d generally allow.
Eventually the website came back up, we ran a few tests and determined everything was fine, and called it a night–just in time for me to put the Kinderbesten to bed, in fact.
I was lucky, on this occasion, that the timing of the disaster happened to fit well with my domestic routine. However, the whole thing forced me to realise how lucky I am that I’m not in the sort of role where I’d be required to drop everything as soon as anything goes wrong: I simply wouldn’t be able to. I’m very lucky that I work in a job that allows for a certain amount of flexibility; because I have very little of it myself at this point in my life. Sure, I can do things like pop out to the shops and organise babysitting at short notice, but it’s pretty necessary for my to have a work day that ends at about 5pm and doesn’t start again until the next day. I get home and work is forgotten, and the Kinderbesten take priority. And, when they’ve gone to bed, I need those last few hours to unwind and reset, ready for the next day.