I've always liked Sandra Bullock... Except, well, for those days gone by when I used to avoid her movies whenever I could.

But Sandy managed to melt even this cynical heart with her magical, feelgood, rom-com touch. Aaaand, she's about to do it again — as the pre-US-publicity machine goes into overdrive for her latest flick 'The Proposal'.

Bullock is in the role of a demanding boss, with Scarlett Johansson's new hubby Ryan Reynolds as the love-interest employee. The Bullock-boss-character is so demanding, actually, that she insists Reynolds marry her so she can avoid visa troubles.

Now, just try to think of a Sandra-starring rom-com that hasn't been a heart-warming hit... It's not possible.

Okay, 'Miss Congeniality 2' wasn't the greatest thing ever to grace a cinema screen, but it was fun enough, and the original movie was awesome. And who could forget the charming cheese-fest that was 'While You Were Sleeping'? Or, the witty reparté with Hugh Grant in 'Two Weeks Notice'?

Bullock is the rom-com queen. Reese Witherspoon — I like you well enough — but you're just a pretender to the throne. Maybe, one day, when Sandy retires...

Thing is, you better not ask Bullock to do a song and dance routine. Hugh Jackman may be able to flit from Broadway musical to 'Wolverine' blockbuster, and, in fact, just about every famous person in Hollywood seems able to bust out with a song whenever needed — but Bullock's in the please-please-stop-making-that-noise, seriously-I'll-pay-you boat, with me.

So, no musicals. Ever. "I'm not a singer," says Sandra. "People don't want to see me in a musical. I hate them. Hate them. I do know my limits. I don't always heed them, but I know them."

Thankfully, the 'them' that she hates refers to musicals, rather than people. Super-misanthropic stars don't tend to be embraced as rom-com leads by the movie-going public.

Not that Bullock is a wilting wallflower. She's more than happy to dish out a piece of her mind to those who need it.

Married for four years to motorbike guru Jesse James and step-mother to his three kids, Bullock is really not keen on those incessant 'Are you pregnant yet?!' questions she gets on every red carpet.

"You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family," points out Sandra. "We're all family, an extended family. I'm not going to spend two seconds of my life wishing I had something I don't. It's hard to do it your way when you hear everyone else telling you to do it their way"

"I reamed out this idiot girl at some premiere once about this. I had just been talking to a friend who couldn't conceive, and I saw her pain."

"And this girl says: 'Are you pregnant?' I went off on her. What if I couldn't have kids? Do you know what that would make me feel like? I just want people to admit that there's no one way to live your life. Of course, I don't know what's going to happen."

And, if I may, I'd like to add that the tabs could stop pointing out whether a celeb's kids are biological or adopted every single time they're mentioned.

But, for the tabloids, the only questions are: Are you dating? Then, are you engaged? Followed by, are you married? And, finally, are you pregnant?

I guess we could throw in, are you cheating? But, either way, I don't envision the single-minded bump-watch thing ending any time soon.

Nor, it seems, is the ongoing Lindsay Lohan/Sam Ronson thing showing signs of ending soon.

Well, okay, there've been a million signs of the relationship's demise — not least of all their, uh, breaking up amidst stories of a massive public scene involving family and friends of the couple, and talk of restraining orders.

What I mean is, there's no sign that there's an absolutely final, definite break-up on the horizon.

For instance, word is that the actress and the DJ have just reconciled in secret.

And, there's now a rumour that Lohan is all set to convert to Judaism to make Sam's family happier about them being together, and so that the two can get married soon in one of the handful of US states that allow same-sex unions.

Sure, sexual preference shouldn't be the barrier between a young couple and a seemingly terrible matrimonial decision — but commonsense should be.

I'm kind of a believer in those near and dear to you stepping up and telling you when your life is going/has gone off the rails, and that — just as Oprah frequently reminds us — weddings and rings do not a fairytale relationship make.

Equally surprising — the news that having a baby will not take you from incessant mutual sniping/having your partner sell your stuff to fund a drug habit/screaming at each other over who ate the last of the peanut butter... to lovey-dovey bliss.

Oh, celebrities, if only someone could convince you that no $100 000 flower decor and in-person reception performance from Cher, nor loveable little screaming infant, is going to save you from sorting out your issues.

Which is why I'm hoping that the Lohan-Ronson marriage plans are either just flimsy speculation, or a bad idea soon abandoned.

Because quitters can be winners, you know. Sometimes, walking away from stuff is smart.