Well, Crypto, you may have asked the best question in the forum (welcome, BTW). OK, I'll come clean. Several reason: (1) If in a discussion/argument, I try to enhance my argument with my vocabulary. Should my position be weak, then any polysylabic word might divert the attention from my argument...hehe. (2) I want praise. So, I choose ANYTHING I think I am worth a shit at. Since hardly anyone plays chess, I have little means at my disposal to gain those good feelings. So, I comprimise (sp?) by doing what I have half a chance in succeeding...art and verbage. Sad to say, I fail to impress anyone in either. (3) In this venue...it gives me friends. Friends to exhange ideas with and friends whose ideas are imaginative and interesting. Different POVs, etc. That's my confession in a nutshell. I don't intend to ever write seriously. I just want to write well enough so that whenever I want to express an opinion, I can at least articulate it in a way that I don't have to feel embarrassed about. There! Sew me back up...I've laid too much on the table for view.