For most college students across the country this time of year marks the end of the spring semester, which means FINALS and endless amounts of work to finish! As you can imagine this is quite a stressfull time especially with the weather getting nice. Bucci thought we would share some stress busters to help make the end of the semester less painful.

1. Avoid stressful people.

Stress actually is contagious. During exam week, resist the urge to have a study session with your super-tense friend. Her stress will only add to your stress.

2. Eat healthy and exercise.

This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s a wonder how many people forget it. Skip the sugar, which will make you crash, and go for snacks like granola bars, healthy cereal or fruits and veggies to keep your blood sugar stable. If you’re studying for a long period of time, eat some protein too. Also, try to get some form of exercise. Even a 10 minute walk will leave you calmer and more focused.

3. Just say NO.

I don’t mean to drugs, although I’m not recommending them either. What you need to say no to are the people who want to take up your time. There will probably be a friend who needs to talk to you for hours about her life, or a party the night before your final, and if you say yes, you’ll probably be tempted to blow off studying.

4. Force yourself to take breaks.

For every hour or so that you work, take a 10 or 15 minute break. Let yourself do whatever you want for those 10-15 mins, then start working again. This gives your brain a little rest and will help keep you more focused when you are actually doing work.

5 Visualize it all going right.

This is actually my favorite tip of all, even though it sounds kind of nuts. Imagine yourself taking the test and feeling confident that you know all the information. Picture getting all of the answers right, and focus on how relaxed you feel. Then picture the A on your test paper. When you imagine a happy ending, that’s often what happens, because you make the decisions that lead to it without even realizing.

6. If you’ve studied all you can, get up your confidence!

When test-time rolls around, it’s time to get yourself into confidence mode. You’ve prepared as much as you could, and now it’s time to ace the test. The tip here is to do whatever works to convince yourself you are going to do really well.

Good luck to all the students in Rhode Island, we know you will ace your exams!

The beginning of spring is the time for cleaning up and cleaning out. Take a day or a weekend to wash the windows, put away the sweaters and blankets and organize your life after the long winter season. Not only is this the perfect time to clean out your messy closet, but it’s also the perfect season to organize your insurance records.

At least once a year it’s a good idea to shake the cobwebs off your insurance policy documents and review your coverage. Here are some quick tips for spring cleaning your insurance and making sure your polices are up-to-date and offering you the protection you need.

What to look for in your:

Auto Insurance Policy
Review your coverage limits and make sure they still adequately cover you,  anyone else listed on your policy and your vehicles. Are there any new drivers in your household? Be sure to add them as a driver on your policy. Are you eligible for any new auto insurance discounts? Check with your agent to see if you qualify for any discounts that can help you save on your car insurance premium. (Hint: If you own a home, combine your home and auto with the same provider and you can usually save up to 20% on your home insurance.) Also, make sure you aren’t insuring vehicles or drivers that are no longer in your household.

Home Insurance Policy
Take a look at your dwelling coverage to make sure you have enough coverage to replace your home back to its current condition after a total loss. If you have made any upgrades to your home since you last reviewed your policy, you will want to make sure the replacement value of your home does not exceed your coverage limits. Also consider if you have enough Contents Coverage to replace the items in your home. If you have acquired any expensive items (jewelry, electronics, etc) recently you will want to make sure these are covered under your policy, otherwise, you might need to schedule an endorsement on your policy to cover these items individually. Also, check your liability coverage  if you have recently become more at risk for a lawsuit (for example, if you added a swimming pool or trampoline onto your property). You might need to disclose information to your insurance company or add additional coverage.

For a complete outline of what is typically covered under a home and car insurance policy, visit Bucci Insurance online.

As a small business in Rhode Island, Bucci Insurance understands the trials and tribulations local businesses face on a daily basis. This understanding drove owner, Tony Bucci, to organize a social media and networking seminar to aid local business development. The purpose of this seminar is to engage small business encouraging networking and informing attendees about social media, two powerful resources. If you are interested in bettering your business using social media, but are not sure where to start or how to attain your social media goals this is the seminar for you.

Bucci also understands that small businesses may not have the excess funds to spend on social media information, which is why this event is FREE. Join Bucci Insurance and over 50 other Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts business on April 7th, 2011 from 6:00-8:00pm at the The Airport Radisson Hotel in Warick, RI.

Bucci Insurance Group welcomes special guest speakers: Tim Sawyer (President of Astonish Results, a leading Digital Marketing company based here in RI) and Kelly Donahue, Vice President of Raving Fan Managers at Astonish Results, as they present new and innovative ways to take your business to the next level and talk about the new face of marketing to the modern consumer.

Seating is limited, so reserve your spot now online and check out our event Facebook page!

Newport is going green for the month of March in celebration of Irish Heritage Month. Celebrate all that is Irish during this exciting month-long event featuring Celtic storytelling, Irish step-dancing, interesting lectures, afternoon teas, an Irish coffee contest, Jameson Irish whiskey tastings and a festive St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The 55th Annual Newport, Rhode Island Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will be held, rain, snow, or shine, on Saturday, March 12th 2011.  It will begin promptly at 11:00am from Newport City Hall and will proceed to Carroll Avenue at Saint Augustin’s Church in the heart of the Fifth Ward.  The parade this year is estimated to last 2 hours and will include 8 Pipe Bands, 9 Marching Bands, 3 Fife & Drum Corps, 3 Clown Units, 8 reenactment units, and a host of local, state, and regional organizations including police and fire units, social/fraternal organizations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Schools, and non-profits.

Some of the other exciting events taking place are:

Bits O’Irish Humor- featuring Blarney, leprechauns, and laughs-with The Bit Players: Newport’s Comedy Improv Troupe. Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Place, Newport. BYOB.8:00pm.  All seats $15.00. Mention  Irish Heritage Month and get $5.00off each seat.

Traditional Irish Music Session- Fastnet Pub, One Broadway, Newport. Live traditional Irish music hosted by A. O. Guttierez, Tim May,  and Jack Wright. 5:00-9:00pm. 845-9311.www.TheFastnetPub.com

Bus Tour of Irish Newport- From Hibernian Hall, Wellington Avenue, Newport. Sponsored by Viking Tours and the Museum of Newport Irish History. Space limited. Reservations required. Coffee and Danish at 9:30am. Bus leaves promptly at 10:00am. Free but donations accepted. Reservations: 846-8865.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner- St. Augustin’s Church Hall, Carroll Avenue, Newport. Sponsored by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. 6:00pm. Tickets: $15.00. Available at Creaney Cruise & Travel 849-8956 and  Deborah Winthrop Fine Lingerie 682-2272.

For more information and Irish celebrations check out Newport Irish Heritage Month online. Bucci Insurance will surely be partaking

in the fun, hope to see you there!

With a chill in the air and a warm coat at hand what better way to spend your snowy season than outside hitting it up New England style. From ice skating at Bank of America skating rink in Providence, to skiing and snowboarding at Yawgoo Valley in Exeter, you don’t have to travel far from home to enjoy this winter season in RI.

So for this first activity, say you’re at home just in the mood for a good old fashion snow ball fight. Go for it! Why sit there thinking about it when there’s a beautiful amount of snow on the ground outside just waiting for someone to shape it up in a ball and throw away!

Now this brings me to the next activity of the winter, sledding. Sledding is one of the fun activities to do when your board. Go with some friends, or with your family, go to that hill where everyone is afraid to slid down, see what you can do with a sled this winter!

The brisk, cool air blows in your face and you only see snow, and more snow in front of you but you keep going because you keep telling yourself “I have to get through this mountain this year!” Than there you go. “Yes!” you did it. You skied or snowboarded the hardest trail out there. This is why skiing and snowbording is another awesome activity(s) to do this winter!

Next on the list is showing off your sculpting skills by building a snowman! Building a snowman with your kids is known (just like most of the other snow activities) to help you burn at least 310 calories, and its fun to do!

Lastly, here’s something entertaining for you to do this winter. Head out to the Bank of America skating rink in providence for some real skating this winter break. Skating was one of the top voted most fun winter activities to be doing. All you have to do is throw on a pair of skates and head off to the ice!

Well that’s it! Just remember to have a fun, jolly, and safe winter this year and hopefully some of the fun activities will help you find something to do this holiday season!!!

Guest Blogger: Tara R. Bucci

Wishing you a Christmas filled with joy this year!

As exciting as the holidays are, Christmas can be quite a stressful time. If you are looking for a good laugh or something to take your mind off your “to-do” list, watch this Youtube video on the dancing Providence Police Officer. They are sure to make you smile! Happy Holidays from Bucci Insurance!

Last week we shared an article with our readers about why supplemental heating sources can be harmful. We understand the economical reasons for using them, so we think everyone should understand the safety precautions to take to make them as safe as possible. Here are safety tips brought to you by the Insurance Information Institute:

• Make sure any new space heater carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory.
• Always turn space heaters off when you leave a room or go to bed.
• If you use an electric heater, do not overload the circuit. If you must use an extension cord (and it is better not to), choose one that is the same size or larger than the appliance cord. Do not use electric heaters in bathrooms or other areas where they may come in contact with water; the danger of electrocution is too great.
• If you use a kerosene heater, burn only kerosene. Gasoline, camp stove fuel or any other fuel except kerosene can be extremely dangerous if used in a kerosene heater. Make sure your kerosene is water-clear, not yellow. Refuel the heater outdoors.
• When turning a portable heating device on or off, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, buy devices with automatic shutoff features.

• Wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors and all solid-fueled heating equipment should be inspected and cleaned professionally each year, especially if they have not been used for some time. Fireplaces regularly build up creosote that needs to be cleaned out.
• Woodstoves should be UL listed and of solid quality and design. Install them with three feet of clearance from combustible surfaces and with adequate floor support and protection.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire in a fireplace or woodstove. Do not use excessive amounts of paper to build roaring fires. Never burn charcoal indoors; it can generate lethal amounts of carbon dioxide.
• Keep flammable material away from the hearth and mantel. Use a sturdy screen to keep sparks from flying into a room.
• Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is cold. Never close the damper with hot ashes in the fireplace; the fire will heat up again and toxic carbon monoxide can spread into the house.
• Synthetic logs are increasingly popular because they are so easy to use. Follow the directions on the package. Never break a synthetic log apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. This could release dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

Wishing you a Christmas filled with joy this year!

Looking for a romantic date idea? A family outing? Or a night out with your friends? Consider going to the Trinity Reparatory to see Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Playing now through December 31^st don’t miss out on this spectacular play to remind us what Christmas is all about!

“This timeless tale of the power of forgiveness shows us that anything is possible–and hope is always just around the corner. Ebenezer Scrooge is confronted on Christmas Eve by the eerie apparition of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him he has one last chance to change his ways. Three spirits visit him that night–the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. With their help, Scrooge greets Christmas morning with newfound joy and seizes the chance to redeem his ways.”

You can find show times and purchase tickets online. From Bucci Insurance, Happy Holidays!!