Update

I'm kind of anal. Sorry. I'm rewriting this now that I am finally at home.

In May I literally had 1 day off. 1 day in 31 that I didn't have something to go to, somewhere to be, a show to play, a signing to do or anything. 1 day off. It was a great freaking month. But I am wasted. Beyond belief.

So, June 3-27, with the exception of 1 day, is my first extended vacation since Idol started in January of '07. Man, a year and a half has flown by. Sarah and I had about 10 days off last May after the finale (we went to Cancun, if you remember), but since then, I have either been on tour, writing, recording demos, recording the album or doing promo dates every week since then. So, for June, I asked to have a few weeks off to recoup, figure out what's next and get ready for a bunch of stuff coming up.

We should be announcing the final dates for the Back to School tour for August and September. It looks like we'll be doing about 45 dates over the 2 months and it will be our first official "real" tour! We'll have an opener and an RV and a big ol' trailer! And we'll rock the U.S.A.!!! Most of the shows are being promoted by the local radio stations all across the U.S. so look to start hearing more about that. And yes, it looks like we'll be getting to Little Rock, Risa (and Birmingham, D.J.).

We also just started working on a big tour for the beginning of 2009 that would be with a great friend of mine who's a country artist. It'd go out as the "God and Country" tour. We're also looking at an Idol from Season 7 to go out as the opening act! It could be an exciting tour, if it works out. I think the tour will definitely work out...just how big, etc. it will be will take time to figure out.

A song that Clint Lagerberg and I wrote, called "Here Comes Goodbye", has been put on hold by one of the biggest country groups and a secondary hold has been put on the song by one of the top female country singers. The song is also garnering some interest on the pop side from a pretty big act. It's one of those special songs that people seem to be freaking out for. I think it's definitely up there with some of the best songs I've ever written. You can hear it on my producer page: myspace.com/chrisslighproductions. It should be the first song that comes up.

Film and tv stuff is still being worked on. I've met some key tv people that interested in hearing more about a tv show I've developed and written the pilot for. Obviously it doesn't mean anything really, but at least there's interest. A couple of people have read the script and think it's hilarious and commercially viable. I also have an idea for a film vehicle that, if it turns out like I'm hoping, could be a huge break for me as an actor and writer. Obviously, I have to deliver a great film, but I have presented the idea to a couple of key people and they're excited about it, and that's huge. I just have to go write a great script and then let a pro finish it and make it even better. But it's a film that we will be presenting as a vehicle for me. So, that could be huge, too. Again, this is stuff just in the works. I'm so busy with music right now that it's tough to find tons of time for the other stuff, but part of vacation will be spent on the first draft of the script. Idol doesn't get you gigs, but it sure opens up doors. You'd be surprised at the producer who wants to take a meeting with me because he and his family loved me on the show. Hopefully, the next time I'm in L.A. I'll be able to set up a meeting with him and pitch the idea for this film...it'd be right down his alley, I think.

Anyway...as we've found out with a lot of this stuff, it comes and goes and stuff doesn't work out...but know that I am working hard to do stuff outside of just music.

June will be a time of vacation. A few meetings. A few little writing sessions. A nice 10 day vacation out of the country. And sleep, sleep, sleep. And maybe some XBox. I got that Assassins: Creed game that I've been itching to mess around with. So, I may not write a ton, but know that I'm just recharging to rock socks off!