Here’s a tidbit of useless advice: never go pub crawling when you’re sick with a head cold. Particularly when said pub crawl involves walking into blustering, freezing wind.

Last night was the third of my book-promo tours, and by most accounts it was a great success. We had a huge group of fun, socializing locals who walked between Pearl Street Grill, BB’s on Pearl, The Village Cork, and Hanson’s Tavern between 6 and 10 p.m. last night. I sold a decent amount of books, and we even had entertainment reporter Kirk Montgomery from 9News swing by to do both a prerecorded interview and a live shot for the nightly news. I should be thrilled. And I am thrilled, except for the fact that after last night, my nagging head cold today became a full blown chest cold. You’ve had this cold. That nasty thing where you can’t lie down because you’ll cough and choke? Your head, throat and chest burn, and you can’t talk or laugh, because you’ll be sent into a wracking, hacking fit that sound like a 60-year smoker’s curse? Yeah, that’s the one. No amount of tea and toast and chicken soup is going to help this one. My doc gave me antibiotics and an excuse to curl up with my pillow; I’m officially staying home until I kick this crud.

If, however, you’re one of the seemingly lucky few people in town right now who doesn’t share this nasty bug, you may want to check out the old Deadbeat Club tonight. The old college classic on Evans is reopening tonight as the Midtown Beat. I’ll have to miss the unveiling, but I’m told that the renovations include two new sound systems, a fireplace lounge, and a patio for smokers. (And, I’m guessing, new flooring to replace the college-bar stickiness of the previous club.) They’ll even serve up free drinks for the first few hours, so run right over to check it out. Then you can tell me all about it — and I’ll live vicariously through the rest of you until I get my snotty, coughing, stuffed-up self out of bed and back amongst the living.