I joined Xbox Live since the Silver membership is free and they give you a free month of the Gold membership, just to try it out. Added my gamercard to the site over in the navigation section, and I even already have a Friend. I realize I’m like a week late and several dollars short on this, but I have to hand it to Microsoft - they did a pretty snazzy job getting the network thing set up. I don’t anticipate I’ll be entering into any online tournaments, but just so I can play against folks I know I’ll probably chip in the $50 a year for the Gold.

I noticed that Xbox 360 shows your wireless controller battery level on the dashboard and mine’s already getting low. It’s looking like you can get about 12 hours or so of play from a set of double-A batteries. (I haven’t actually run out of juice yet, but given the rate it’s going, that’s the amount of time I’m guessing I have.) As such, I cashed in some gift certificates that have been piling up and got the quick charge kit, a second rechargeable battery (the charge kit comes with one), and, while I was at it, Tomb Raider: Legend. That should be here shortly. In the meantime, I’ll probably have to pop some new batteries in so I can continue riding the walls around the track in Project Gotham Racing 3. (I totally suck at that game. I think I might have beaten one or two things on “normal” mode, but the rest? Easy mode, baby.)

I joined Jenn up to Xbox Live, too, at the Silver level, so she can go buy little games and stuff from the Xbox Live Marketplace. She’s addicted to those damn Pop Cap games, and what better way to play them than in high definition, right?