Hey everyone! Happy New Year! (ya, I know it is already February, but I’m still writing 2009 on everything, so it sure still feels NEW!) So I hope you have read the blog by Matt W., the winner of the Suite Caroline Strawbery Jam Contest – http://www.u224u.com/pages/suite-caroline-jam-casting. We are really having fun working together. Did you know he played piano for 10 whole years before he recently took up the guitar? (and I know he will never put it down now!!:) His music background is making it really easy for him to learn guitar. He knows WAY more music theory than I do. He writes his own stuff, which you know I think is totally cool. We hope to play 4 songs together at Matt’s showcase with me at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City on March 6th – more details to come . Stop by and show us some love if you can!! Then I will take the MAIN stage with my band at 1pm. It is going to be outrageously awesome. Please come if you can!! GTE Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the shows. The show is free and kids get in free to the Strawberry Festival on that day. You can watch our shows, and then eat some Strawberry Shortcake and then ride some rides! O, wait, maybe if you are going on fast rides that flip upside down you should eat your shortcake AFTER! LOL!!!!

Get inspired about money by looking into a GTE Federal Credit Union U22 youth checking account for 12 to 22 year olds. It pretty much rocks!

SONGWRITING

I get asked a lot about how I come up with my songs. A lot of people ask
me to write songs about them, or they tell me what they think would make a
great song. But thatʼs usually not how I get going on a song. An idea kind
of sticks with me for a few days, or a few weeks, or a few months even.
Then I start humming random tunes. Then if that same idea and tune stay
with me for a while, then I take it to the next step and get out my guitar and
start messing around. My mom always tries to write down and record when
I am doing this, because a lot of times I forget what I was working on and
then the idea dies. There are times when I pick up my guitar and the whole
song comes to me at once. Those actually end up being my favorite
originals.

I guess when you are a songwriter, you are really doing it all the time. A
bumper sticker may get me thinking, something a store clerk says may start
the process or even something that comes to me in a dream.

The truest thing I can tell you about songwriting is that LIFE IS FULL OF INSPIRATIONS!

Get inspired about money by looking in to a GTE Federal Credit Union U22 account for 12 to 22 year olds. It pretty much rocks!

I’ve been thinking about all of the amazing finalists in the Suite Caroline Strawberry Jam Open Talent Search. I am BLOWN AWAY by the talent!! I want to thank each of you for working SO HARD and for coming out for the audition. You brought it BIG TIME! It would be an honor to play with any one of you!!! I REALLY REALLY mean that!!!

Matthew, I loved the song you played and it showed a quiet strength that I really liked. I can tell you are serious about wanting to promote your career.

Jackson, your performance was so sincere. Your guitar skills are amazing and your singing is so good!!

Shelby, you played such a great song that YOU wrote!! Keep writing and it will really take you places!

Kaylee, loved your Dream Big necklace! Your voice is incredible and awesome!!!

Kassidy, Rascal Flatts would be proud of you and how well you covered their song!! You and your sister should start a singing duo!! U guys would be FAB!!

Savannah, Gunpowder and Lead is one of my fave songs and you knocked it out of the park!! Wow!!

Jenna, You are “Fearless”. I really enjoyed getting to know you and listening to you perform!!

Katie, you ROCK, girl!! You inspired me to come home and dust off my electric guitar and start jammin!

Connor, The violin and the guitar?? Too cool. Plus I know you are an awesome piano player too!!!

Sarah, Your voice is so strong and beautiful!! Just like u!

Rachel, I want to learn Cowboy Cassanova for my shows, and you have motivated me to get on it! Your voice is flawless!!

Shane, your guitar rifts and original licks are insane! I want to take lessons from you!!

Taylor, I love that your grandpa was with you. Did you see him cry? I love that you did a classical and a popular piece. You are multi-talented!!

Lynnaida-Michael Jackson is looking down on you smiling!! What a great version of his song. The tone of your voice is so rich!!

I am glad I don’t pick the winner because it would literally be impossible! I hope that all of you can make it to the Strawberry Festival this year to cheer on the winner and be part of a really fun day!!!

XOXOX
Suite Caroline

Brought to you by GTE Federal Credit Union’s U22 checking account for 12 to 22 year olds. Because learning about money is important no matter what your age.

The holidays are here!! The holidays are here!!

Every year I put up a tree with my sister. We use the ornaments that my mom doesn’t want for her tree … you know, like the SpongeBob ones, and the one with Taylor Lautner’s picture on it?? LOL. So, my tree is covered in things with feathers, polka dots, glitter. All the fun stuff. (Target was a GREAT source last year!!) I like to put the presents that I buy for my family under this tree, until Christmas morning when I take them to the family tree downstairs. (My mom likes white lights, I liked the colored ones!) I was making my list to go Christmas shopping, and when I looked at how long it was I got a little nervous. Do I have enough money to do all of this and still have some savings?? (I have LOTS of cousins!!) So, I went on my computer and called up my U22 account to check my balance. It was as easy as entering the web address. I was pleasantly surprised that my balance was in good shape. I also told myself to spend carefully, though, so my savings would still be there for many Christmases to come!!! Easier said than done, I know!!! But I REALLY am going to try

Visit www.u224u.com for more information the GTE Federal Credit Union’s U22 checking account. Because learning and saving is important, no matter what your age!

How many of you watched Taylor Swift walk away with the night at the CMA’s last week?? I DID!! And I got to see it up close and personal because I got to go!! What a treat!!! The crowd was going crazy!! (Me included!!) Anyway, it was not only cool, but it was inspirational for me. I wanna get there someday!! Who knows, right?? A girl can dream.

It was not only fun to watch the awards, but it was very comfortable too. All of the shops and food places were open in the arena, so we could eat and drink during the whole show. My sister was wearing a black satin dress, and she got an elephant ear covered with powdered sugar. Can you see where I am going with this? Yep, she got it ALL OVER her dress. Mom wasn’t too happy about that. I used my GTE Federal Credit Union U22 debit card to buy a CMA Awards t-shirt. You know, been there, done that, got the t-shirt!!!! :0 And I also bought a program to have forever. I only brought a small purse with me. I’m glad I didn’t need to bring a whole wallet. It wouldn’t have fit. Just my U22 card, a lip gloss and my phone and this girl was golden!!!!

If you ask most kids where they’d like to go on a trip, most of them I guess would say something like Orlando. But if you ask me, I would have to say Nashville, Tennessee! I will be heading back there soon. Every time I go, I get energized about my music career. I meet with record labels (and yes, that IS very cool) song writers and other people in the music business that give me really good advice. I wish I could go more often. But these trips can be expensive! I have to fly on an airplane with my mom, and we rent a car and stay in a hotel. Now that I make some of my own money, I always set some aside for trips to Nashville. My U22 account helps make my trip easier. I don’t have to bring cash. (Which I am not very good at keeping track of!!) I just bring my MasterCard debit card. When I need (or want!) to buy something, all I have to do is swipe the card and enter my pin number. My mom gets an alert that I have made a purchase just in case I get a little crazy with my card! LOL!!

Wish me luck on my trip!! THANKS!!!

What is it like having corporate sponsors?

Hi. It’s me again. Suite Caroline. I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of the stuff I have been up to. It actually gives me time to reflect on everything going on in my life. Us songwriters like that kind of thing. Anyway, I thought I would tell you what it is like to have corporate sponsors, like GTE Federal Credit Union. Well, in a word, it’s “cool.” Make that two words.. “totally cool.” You see, at first it was just all about me and writing some songs. Then it was about getting a band together. Now it is about being a part of a business organization that supports me and offers me some killer opportunities. I have gotten to know the people at GTE FCU very well. I even met the President of the whole company! I love promoting their credit union because they are so interested in kids. If you haven’t checked out the U22 program, click this link, www.U224U.com. If you are from age 12 (like me) to age 22 it might be just what you need to get good things going with saving and banking. Even if you don’t have a whole lot of money to manage, you need to have it somewhere safe, right? And whenever you need it, it only takes a swipe of your U22 debit card to get it! And it makes me feel like a VIP when I can use a debit card that is actually mine! As a matter of fact, I just used it to buy my Halloween costume. (I am going to be an M&M. The blue one.) BTW, I plan to say “Trick or Chocolate” this Halloween, instead of “Trick or Treat!”. BBYYEE!!!!

I have been playing guitar for three years, and singing all of my life. But something new and really exciting has happened in the past few weeks …. I HAVE A BAND!! It is the coolest thing to get up on stage and hear my music come to life with a lead guitar, bass guitar and drums, while I am playing my usual rhythm guitar parts. One thing is kinda funny and cool at the same time. My lead guitarist is my guitar teacher!!

I didn’t realize how LOUD it would be though. And, it’s not as easy as it looks!! We had to practice a lot to make sure everyone knew how to play together as a unit. My drummer wears head phones and listens to a “click track” so he doesn’t get off time. I just learned this, but a click track is just a bunch of clicks set to a certain time. He listens to this so that other people in the band don’t throw him off so
the song stays in rhythm.

So, with my band we have been able to book concerts on really big stages. Sometimes there is a nice little paycheck that comes with that. I am learning to be more disciplined about depositing my checks right away in to my U22 account, because if I lose one, it is just gone!! I would be really embarrassed to call the promoter of a show and say, “I lost the check; could you give me a new one?” My parents wouldn’t be too happy with me either!! No doubt! So, I am glad GTE FCU is located near my school, so I can just swing by and drop off the dinero! (And watch my balance grow!!)

www.u224u.com

We are a special group, us folks aged 12‐22.

We LOVE all of the latest and greatest stuff out there … but it all costs a lot, huh?? We NEVER have enough money for what we need! (Or should I say WANT!!) Well, help is on the way!!! (If you are lucky enough to win!) GTE Federal Credit Union’s U22 program is granting one lucky entry’s wish, up to $1,000!!! It is so hard to narrow the list, I know, but pick your top dream and tell GTE FCU all about it; it can be something you want to buy, or it can be a long-term goal, like opening up your own jewelry shop! Check out the promotion details on my U22 page at http://www.u224u.com/personalities/suite‐caroline and fill out all of the official stuff they ask for, and then write a little story (by little I mean 500 words or less) to let the peeps at GTE FCU know why your dream deserves to win. The timing on this is great, because we all know mom and dad don’t have a lot of extra cash to loan us right now! I am saving for a new guitar, and having a U22 account is really the way to go to help with that. My statements come to me online, and I have learned how to make deposits and manage the account. It is fun watching it grow, knowing that I have a goal in mind! So, give it a shot. The money is there for the winning! As I like to say, DREAM BIG! All entries must be in by September 31st.

So, I headed back to school this week.

It’s going to take some adjusting!! I am taking World History, Science, Math, Language Arts, Spanish, Computer, and of course, music. But I am adding some new “classes” this year. These are the really fun kind. The kind that answer my questions about saving money and making smart money choices. I can use this info for the rest of my life! (I’m not sure if I can say that about World History ) These classes are online through the GTE Federal Credit Union’s U22 program. All I do is sit at my computer and choose the subject that looks good to me. I’m thinking I am going to start with “How to achieve my financial goals.” Maybe this will help me focus on a goal and save for it the right way. I spent a lot of money on my back to school stuff. (I just HAD to have that disco ball for my locker!!) Now I need to save again. I have some good paying gigs coming up. Even though it is tempting to head right to the mall, I am trying to save so that when I get older, I have a head start with some money in the bank – make that the credit union!