Do *really* obvious things sometimes just not occur to you?

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As the topic title says: Do really obvious things sometimes just not occur to you?

This is an example of something that happens to me all the time:

A few times over the past few years, I've had some huge library fines (in the range of $100-$250). These were caused by me having a number of books overdue for quite some time. These fines could, however, have easily been less. Most of the time, I could find some of the overdue books, but not all of them, and if I'd returned those when I found them, then the fines on them would have stopped accruing.

For some reason, though, it didn't occur to me that I didn't have to return my books all at once. A few months ago, it finally occurred to me that I should return books when I found them, and look for the other ones later, thus saving a lot of money.

This type of thing happens to me all the time. And every time I figure out the (obvious) solution to a problem like that, I wonder
"Why the hell did this not occur to me before?",
and I have no answer apart from
"It just didn't."

Can anyone relate?

That reminds me I need to finish reading my library book!
I usually return my library book in on time, but this time it wasn't stamped. I should be alright though, I've only had it for a few weeks.

I kind of have a mental to-do list but some things do slip my mind. My mum gets angry when I forget to hang washing out when I told her I would. I blame that on my obsessions.

it is only the obvious things that occur to me. if it is not obvious, i will not see it.

This kind of stuff happens to me all the time. Then I get so furious with myself for not even thinking of doing the obvious. I can be soooo absent minded. A funny and really embarrassing thing that happens to me (luckily not too often) is when I am driving in town, and been crossing a lot of traffic lights, I tend to wait at the next stop sign and wait for the sign to ‘turn green’, luckily it’s just for a few split seconds, and nobody has been around to witness it. I’ll just drive of laughing at my absent mindedness.

Define "obvious".

All the time.

O golly, I'm lacking a toenail! But I was only picking it gently with my fingers, says I, but the pool of blood and loose nail on the floor says otherwise. My eyes were affixed to the interest as if the pain didn't exist.

I've found that the mind tends to focus on things that it deems important.

Happens to me, too. My husband's even worse than I am. So, when either one of us has one of those "ah, ha" moments, its like this major deal.

The bad thing is, like in your case, it leads me to procrastinate - especially on financial/important matters.

On the other hand, if it's something NOT important I can see very clearly and innovatively. Like, I am very mechanical so I am excellent at organizing closets, drawers, shelves. I can organize stuff so I make the best use of space and finding things is easy and efficient. Everything's labeled, alphabetized...whatever.


But if it's something to do with---oh, LIFE skills, I am clueless.

I keep a mental to do list, but it would seem that I don't, as between obsessions and school very little actually gets done. I have dishes from almost a week ago that I need to do, but dishes don't get done when I have homework to do, so I wash them as I need them for the most part. I think I am going to go for the other style of residence where I don't have to cook or use my own dishes, and where every dish I touch is disposable, might save me a lot of time. Just means I will have less social contact.

I've been in situations like that before.

Yes, I lack "common sense" according to some people.

I notice that in society there are implicit assumptions about so many things. When I was younger I sometimes wondered if NT's were able to just "know" things without ever learning them.

I also have to have instructions very clearly spelled out for me or I'll interpret them the wrong way. It usually happens when people use phrases or terminology I've never heard before in my life, yet somehow I'm made to feel like an idiot if I don't understand precisely what their intention is.

I used to get bitter about this kind of thing. Friends would call me "dumb" for not automatically knowing something then I'd retaliate by calling them an idiots for not being able to reason through anything in depth. Whatever.

Yes, like how 'getting ready' to memeans 'put on your coat and shoes' and not ' take a shower, put on deodorant, brush your hair, brush your teeth, get out of your PJ's, put on some real clothes, and AND THEN put on your coat and shoes'.

People think I'm stupid because of this. It's mind-numbing...

I will nevr under stand why people wear those... they bother me too much to wear them.