I met a relative's new boyfriend the other day. He was tall, and broadly built. She introduced us, and we shook hands.

The handshake, at least among men, is how we judge each other. So we try to cultivate a firm handshake that says we're confident. The new boyfriend's handshake was very firm.

As bones popped in my hand, I tried to keep my eyes from bugging out, met his eyes and said, "nice to meet you." What I wanted to say was, "Okay! You can be the big dog! Let me roll over on my back and expose my stomach!"

Lyndon Johnson used to lean in nose to nose to someone, drape his left arm over the persons shoulder, grab the lapel of their jacket in their right hand and browbeat them into submission. It was called the Johnson Treatment. It was his way of showing dominance.