Ok.  I am the original reporter / jerk.

I have found the solution to this and it is not AbiWord.

It is Compiz/NVIDIA (not sure which).

Go to Compiz Config Settings Manager, then to Utility -> WorkArounds.

Check "Force Synchornization between X and GLX".

AbiWord should work normally after that.  Does for me.

ANGER AND FRUSTRATION GONE!!! :)

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Abiword glitch: Invisible Disappearing Text
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/301816
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