The middle ages! (for women)
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Are you (a) female, and (b) somewhat middle-aged (i.e. aged between your forties and your sixties)? If so, please continue!

Middle-age can be a very interesting (if not downright challenging!) period of our lives. This survey is designed to explore what middle-age means to different women, and the ways in which we negotiate those years and move forward. The results will be used to inform a non-fiction project (tentatively titled The Invisible Woman, and other remarkable phenomena of middle-age!). The survey is totally anonymous and absolutely voluntary. Further information is available on request from the author Ilsa Evans (ilsa@ilsaevans.com)

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1. Just a few personal questions - for statistical purposes only!

Just a few personal questions - for statistical purposes only! Your age
Your marital status
Your current employment
The age range of your children (i.e. in their teens)

2. Looking over your life, what would you say was your favourite decade?

Looking over your life, what would you say was your favourite decade? Your teens

Your twenties

Your thirties

Your forties

Your fifties

Your sixties

Other (please specify)

3. Just some short, sharp (seemingly random) questions!

Just some short, sharp (seemingly random) questions! With regard to your favourite decade (above), if you suddenly had access to a time machine, would you go back there?
At what age do YOU believe women hit their sexual peak?
How would you best describe your style of clothing (i.e. tailored/ edgy/whatever happens to be handy)?
Has this always been your style?
What's the best thing about middle-age?
What's the worst thing about middle-age?
If you could pass one piece of advice to the next generation of women, what would that be?

4. The term 'cougar' has recently leapt into modern usage, describing a woman who seeks/dates younger men. How do you find this term? (pick as many options as you like)

The term 'cougar' has recently leapt into modern usage, describing a woman who seeks/dates younger men. How do you find this term? (pick as many options as you like) Derogatory

Empowering/inspirational

A marketing ploy

Fun

Sexist

Other (please specify)

5. If money were no object, would you undergo plastic surgery? If so, what type?

If money were no object, would you undergo plastic surgery? If so, what type?

6. This is an exercise in perception. Select a word (or two!) that you feel best describes you:

This is an exercise in perception. Select a word (or two!) that you feel best describes you: As you were in your twenties
As you are now
As your friends would see you (ask them if you like!)
As your children would see you (ask them too!)

7. Which of the following best describes what the phrase 'empty nest' means to you?

Which of the following best describes what the phrase 'empty nest' means to you? Loneliness

Sadness/nostalgia

Freedom (and more space!)

A new chapter

Other (please specify)

8. Of the following well-known middle-aged women, select the three (or less!) who you most admire:

Of the following well-known middle-aged women, select the three (or less!) who you most admire: Demi Moore

Hilary Clinton

Magda Szubanski

Susan Sarandon

Courtney Cox

Camilla Parker-Bowles

Germaine Greer

Oprah Winfrey

Aung Sun Suu Kyi

Susan Boyle

Ellen Degeneres

Sarah Palin

Or is there someone else you'd like to add? (please specify)

9. The writer Susan Reimer once said that 'as women age, we begin to fade from view, moving from vibrant to translucent to invisible.' Do you agree? Has this happened to you?

The writer Susan Reimer once said that 'as women age, we begin to fade from view, moving from vibrant to translucent to invisible.' Do you agree? Has this happened to you?

10. How would you rate your contentment with the following areas of your life?

	Great	Okay	Not so good	I plan on making significant changes!
Family	*How would you rate your contentment with the following areas of your life? Family Great	Family Okay	Family Not so good	Family I plan on making significant changes!
Partner	Partner Great	Partner Okay	Partner Not so good	Partner I plan on making significant changes!
Career	Career Great	Career Okay	Career Not so good	Career I plan on making significant changes!
Sex life (optional!)	Sex life (optional!) Great	Sex life (optional!) Okay	Sex life (optional!) Not so good	Sex life (optional!) I plan on making significant changes!
Social Life	Social Life Great	Social Life Okay	Social Life Not so good	Social Life I plan on making significant changes!

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The middle ages! (for women)Exit this survey

1. Default Section

*1. Just a few personal questions - for statistical purposes only!

2. Looking over your life, what would you say was your favourite decade?

3. Just some short, sharp (seemingly random) questions!

4. The term 'cougar' has recently leapt into modern usage, describing a woman who seeks/dates younger men. How do you find this term? (pick as many options as you like)

5. If money were no object, would you undergo plastic surgery? If so, what type?

6. This is an exercise in perception. Select a word (or two!) that you feel best describes you:

7. Which of the following best describes what the phrase 'empty nest' means to you?

8. Of the following well-known middle-aged women, select the three (or less!) who you most admire:

9. The writer Susan Reimer once said that 'as women age, we begin to fade from view, moving from vibrant to translucent to invisible.' Do you agree? Has this happened to you?

10. How would you rate your contentment with the following areas of your life?

The middle ages! (for women)
Exit this survey

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1. Just a few personal questions - for statistical purposes only!