Does anyone else lack "common sense" ?
Did you use to think that you missed the big picture because you were a detail person and then realized you missed details too and it turns out you miss everything that's not interesting to you at the moment?
Has anyone every asked you "did you ever think of __________" and you go, "No, but that's a great idea/point!" Its interesting to me to hear about Add'ers not holding jobs and being lost at work. Somehow I have completely focused all of my attention (for lack of better words) on being a good employee. I have a very sharp mind. I'm constantly solving problems and trouble shooting at work. My ADD helps me in a fast pace, busy, physical, on your feet all day, hands on job. I fix cars for a living, and it comes naturally to me. I attribute my success to my god given talent and my fast working mind. I have harnessed my biggest liability and turned it in to my biggest asset. On the other hand I'm totally blind to peoples feelings and my own wifes feelings. I think that funneling all my efforts in to my work that I have withdrawn from my emotional well being. I have no common sense when it comes to social behavior. My mouth has always gotten me in to trouble! My meds has really help me in many ways, but especially with not saying what I'm thinking before its too late! So yes I can totally relate to the common sense thing. Good luck with all your continued self evolution. ADD is a gift, we each need to find out how to use it and apply it.
Welcome NVDEB! I am a 47 yr. old female. I was DX'ed a little over a yr ago, and on Adderall. I'm out of the denial stage, which took sometime. Even with meds, I usually miss "the big picture" and things just don't seem to "click" like they should. And yes, I've been told by everyone that i have "book smarts". I have limited "street smarts". I hope to never have to find out the extent of "limited".
Details i could never get, unless the interest factor was there. I know you may not feel lucky right now, but just think, I had to go 21 more yrs. than you feeling "not quite right". and when i was your age, ADD wasn't even reconized. I was just told i was to smart to be making such stupid mistakes( please don't take this wrong, i know you must be hurting, and i'm not trying to belittle your feelings).I would never intentionally hurt you. sometimes us ADD'ers say stuff in the wrong way
Now about common sence, are you sure you really don't have it but just don't always use it? My doc said when I say some of the things i do and the way i explaine them, that i do have common sence, but because of the ADD, I totaly loose it at that moment, so it appears that i don't. but i act on impulse, so the common sence goes right out the door! Try to think back.
BEST OF LUCK and remember, you have come to the right place. You will find that you'll "get it " here
Keep us posted!
Welcome NVDeb,
I too have ADHD. As a child and young adult I had very little in the way of street smarts but had a decent amount of common sense. I do have trouble expressing myself verbally at times though because my mind will just go blank at the wrong moment. Unfortunately, when my mind stops, my mouth doesn't. I too have trouble noticing the little things, details, etc unless I am hyperfocused. People may point out things I have missed but I often can point out things to be considered that flew right on by them.
You too have a way of thinking outside of the box which can be disconcerting to others but will enable you to contribute in ways a "normal" mind wouldn't even think of until it was pointed out. Sometimes they still don't get it but once you have a track record of your "weird ideas" being just what is needed, people will learn to trust your judgement in those areas. In other words, we may "not get" some things they do but they "won't get" some things we do. Both types of minds have much to contribute once people get beyond the stereotype that there is something wrong with us.
I agree that it is a pain to be so unobservant in so many ways. I can look right at something, study it in detail and try to memorize what I am seeing. A minute later I couldn't describe it well enough for someone else to recognize. Someone else can glance at it and remember every detail! Aaargh!
Look at it this way. We see things others don't. They see things we don't. Someday, society will realize that we have more strength working together than either of us does on our own! When that happens, people won't be so quick to point out our perceived flaws. That is arrogance on their part. How often do we point out the many close minded, unimaginative flaws we see in them?
You're ok! I'm ok! The non ADHDers will be ok too once they realize they are not superior to us. 
I am 47 years old also, and I have been teased all my life about being 'book' smart, but being a total flake about the most basic aspects of running my life. If it is creative and requires thinking outside the box, I can do it! If it is simple and mundane (like balancing my checkbook) it is beyond me.
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