Hi all, I'm having trouble making up my mind about tire size.

I've fixed up my old Giant Option hybrid for commuting and have so far been very pleased with the comfort/ease of use. However, I think I'd like to switch out the tires, which are currently 700x38, in order to increase speed a little. I like the comfort and stability of the wider tires (as compared to th 23s on my road bike), however. I'm thinking of dropping down to 700x35 or 700x32.

Here are some questions I have:

Is it even worth it to think about switching out 38s for 35s?
Can 32s handle the occasional side-jaunt down a short patch of dirt road?
How do 32s handle gravel?

Any input you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.