Hrrmmph! I don't know what she's gotten me into now!! My name is Abigail and it's about a person named "Sunny."
This woman seems absolutely unable to settle down to one thing for any period of time. You probably know at least one person like her: gets terribly excited about something, tries it out for a while, learns all she can until she masters it or until it gets boring... then moves on. Her 'type' certainly explains all of the majors in various colleges - Scientific Translation, Business Administration, Geology, Theatre...
I must say, she did exercise some self-control by not switching to Political Science in the middle of her Geology major! It might have been because her employer at the time was paying her tuition so that she could learn, specifically, all she could about Geology! That knowledge was important, since she was a Geological Technician at the time!
She has had even more jobs and avocations than she has had college majors: dance - both as a ballet student and teacher - from age 6 until about 35; theatre - acting, teaching, directing, and working backstage until she finally - at age 47 - got a degree in the subject, at which time she lost all interest! She worked in Yosemite National Park in California at a tourist camp in the back country; flipped hamburgers at Burger King, worked as clerical help in the Governor's office, as an Executive Assistant... on and on...
Speaking of variety, she's had as many husbands as she's had college majors! A really bad judge of character, which I attribute to her constant search for a 'daddy' (hers died when she was barely a year old) and her total naiveté and inability to differentiate between reality and her fantasies! And, of course, her tendency toward boredom plays a part... along with her talent for losing interest once she's accomplished her goals. In the case of men, that happened whenever she conquered the supposedly unconquerable!
In one of her Geology classes, an instructor suggested she take the test for a high IQ club. Having passed with flying colors, she now uses that as an excuse for her flightiness, especially after reading an article entitled something like 'If you're so smart, how come you don't own the business', which explained that high IQ types get bored easily and tend to 'flit' from one interest to another.
Personally, I think that having been born a Gemini has as much to do with it as anything. She exhibits all of the symptoms of multiple personalities, though she has never been diagnosed with an actual mental disorder. No one ever knows who she'll decide to be from one moment to the next! I find it extremely annoying and unsettling.
In this particular period of her life, she is a writer and trainer - working in an exciting niche of the aviation industry, teaching people to use computers. She also is a documentation writer for the Training Department and cranks out 'how to' documents just as if she knew what she was talking about!
Well, she may be flaky, strange, and flighty, but she does do a pretty good job writing all of those job aides and how-to manuals. And she does love to write. But, for all her supposed mental ability, she can't seem to get beyond documenting computer software and/or her life (which has been exceptionally interesting, due to her frequent experiments with new jobs, new college majors, and... new husbands!). Ideas for pure fiction continue to elude her; actually, she hasn't a clue about where to even begin (I never did put much stock in those I.Q. tests!).
People have been encouraging her again: her older sister died a week and a half ago and she wrote a little something - in the program they called it "A Sister's Memories" - for the Memorial Service. Several people in attendance told her she should write a book (it was probably the presentation rather than the 'story' that impressed them). So I directed her to WVU for some help. She needs an alternative to the 8:00-5:00 routine - to which she is ill-suited - though she isn't so naive as to believe she'll actually be able to support herself with writing. But who knows? Maybe if she could learn to write fiction as well as she writes technical documents and biographical anecdotes, and if the gods are on her side...
And if she can stick with it long enough...
I must say, I'm rather fond of the old girl. She is bright and perfectly capable. I'll help her all I can and we'll see where it goes. She has to hurry if she's going to be a brilliant and successful writer - at almost 60 years of age, she's getting closer to retirement and would like to find a way to finance the world travels she hopes to indulge herself in when she's ready to leave her current employment!
You'll be hearing from her... if I have to nag her halfway to death to get her to persevere! When you do, please don't tell her what I've said about her. She still considers me a friend.
You've been kind to listen. I know I'm a bit windy, but she is so exasperating sometimes...
Respectfully,
Abigail (you may call me Abby).