I think there's a distinction between 'perfecting detail and existance in the here and now' and being observant of ones immediate environment. The sensotardation you speak of is more of a lack of Se, and I think I have pretty high Se.
It doesn't mean I don't also space out and drift through my thoughts most of the time, but drifting through thoughts and being aware of surroundings and physical sensations are two things that don't have to be mutually exclusive. I also think the two things use different parts of the brain, so you can almost do it simultaneously...to an extent.
That's all I'm trying to say.

Just not sure it's the best way from an observational/behavioral standpoint to type someone as N/S. But yes, if you knew someone for a long time, it might be more reliable.
I completely agree. My eSTJ father regularly can't find his keys or glasses, doesn't know where his pants are, and puts the dishwashing liquid in the refrigerator. Could be the early stages of dementia or he could be an N. Using these types of things as indicators of N-ness and S-ness are reliable only until a certain extent.
Thank ptgatsby who regularly pounds it into to people's heads that when people are comparing sensate traits and intuitive traits they tend to be comparing the extremes of either set of people. Those of us who are in the middle don't strongly identify with either groups. When I talk to sensors about these so called "sensotard" moments they're like "Oh, I do that too!!"

It's so easy to get a small group of people together, find the common trait they have and incorrectly extrapolate. If you're going to find a pattern make sure it a pattern that's based on solid footing.
Si in ISJs: The only thing I can say to describe this is the process of percolation. When I encounter ISJs,
especially older ones, I see things seeping through them like ground water. Things are getting filtered and strained. When my ISTJ deputy director talks, she processes
so slowly. In younger ISJs (through their early 30s) you see this percolation process but the reservoir isn't as deep yet. But it's cool to watch because it's being refined and things are still getting incorporated.
Si in ESJs: If you don't have a freaking axe to grind against ExSJs you'll find them to be very reasonable people. Their Si does do that whole percolation process but not so obviously. Processing is faster, reasons are more supportable, and more easily swayed than ISJs. ESJ-Si seems more miscible than ISJ-Si. I mostly hang around young ESJs and they're extremely current and modern but in a fixed way. ETSJs are dauntless and ESFJs are spunky. The modernity of now will morph into the future status quo so if you want to have influence over what will be I'd say get at ESJ when they're young and nubile.
I want to say that I've always found an insightfulness that stems from Si that differs from Ni. It's more or less the assuredness that this has happened before, we got through it and we'll get through it again. Maybe that's the calmness people are referring to? Weathering the storm? Actually what I think best exemplifies Si
is this. A very strong sense of timing and when things happened and how they're supposed to happen.
Ni in INJs: Healthy, balanced, non-crackpot Ni (but what other kind is there?

) in INJs is a keenness and sharpness. The same way I get percolation from ISJs, I get laser from INJs. It's like they'll say one thing and I'm like damn, that so explains what's going on! Since I have more experience with INFJs than INTJs, I agree that they're pretty hard to identify if they're not the closed off type of INFJ. ladypinkington is the closest approximation I can find on the forum. The INFJs I know look like extroverts and they really are everybody's therapist. I guess I would be the therapist's therapist. I think their insightfulness is what attracts people to them. The INTJs I deal with aren't asshats so I actually like them.
Ni in ENJs: Closet seditionists and insurrectionists. ENJs strongly know how to play the part but when shit needs to change they'll drop that lamb suit in a second. When I meet someone who seems like an ESJ but not quite then I think ENJ. The "not quiteness" is the prime indicator. It took me over a year to identify two ENFJs and an a ENTJ at my job and one ENFJs I work with directly! She just constantly had a question mark over her head. Meshes very well with everyone, but the blending was too good almost like it was done on purpose. ESFJs don't mesh because they do it on purpose, they do it because it's
what is done and they're what you have to mesh in to. I have a girlcrush on the ENTJ so she can do no wrong in my eyes. Professionally you feel like things are moving forward and will get done and she's open to suggestion. Personally, she's very chill and relaxed (well as relaxed as one J thinks another J is

). I don't see the fixedness in ENJs that I typically get from ESJs although I do see that crazy ass Ni glinting through their eyes.