Theresa Sokyrka might just be the happiest second place winner you'll ever meet.

Back in September, more than three million viewers witnessed the Saskatonian leap for joy and be moved to tears -- all to congratulate the newly crowned Canadian Idol, Kalan Porter of Medicine Hat.

These days, the 23-year-old is still grateful about the outcome, despite not winning the country's most watched singing competition and the ultimate prize of an instant career as a BMG recording artist.

To Sokyrka, not having to be in a studio all day long is a comforting thought.

"I needed a really long break and Kalan hasn't had one yet. It's pretty hard on him but he's really taking it well. Yeah, that's one of the perks about it, that I don't have to force my way into a studio right now," she says.

Sokyrka, however, isn't whiling away her time simply lounging around in pajamas and bunny slippers.

This aspiring singer/songwriter is constantly on the move, shuttling back and forth between Saskatoon and Toronto, fulfilling singing engagements and getting used to her new life as a big-city dweller.

"Lately it's been a lot of packing and unpacking since I've moved to Toronto…lots of phone calling and emailing," Sokyrka says.

She admits it's been difficult to suddenly fly solo and handle attention she had gotten used to sharing with the other nine Idol finalists.

"It's hard. It's totally like you've just been pulled away from it. And I haven't really talked to anybody from the top 10 at all besides Kalan," Sokyrka says. "Everyone's just super busy. I tried to call Jason and tried to get a hold of Elena through email and things like that but it's just everyone's doing their own thing."

She recently finished a recording session with Porter and had a chance to hang out with the Idol champ who invited her to the Sting and Annie Lennox concert in Toronto.

"He had to leave right after Annie Lennox because he had to go back into the studio so he missed Sting. But Sting was just unbelievable," Sokyrka recalls.

Watching the pros do their thing on stage is an important source of inspiration for the budding artist who's been writing journals since she was seven years old and is currently going through the often-painstaking process of creating new material.

"I've been kind of battling with that lately," Sokyrka says. "But I've been lucky enough in the last couple of weeks to see some really incredible artists play. I got to see Sarah Harmer and I was inspired to no end.

"And I think that's one of the key things. If you can still find your inspiration within the people you still were inspired by before all of this stuff…then inspiration will never really run out."

Sokyrka admits she used to be scared of success but she's approaching this new chapter in her life head-on and without any apologies.

"I think I've worked really hard and I think it would be silly not to take pride in that," the singer says. "I really don't want to think that I don't deserve this or that I didn't work hard enough. It's just a different way of paying your dues. I may not have put in as many years as someone like Sarah Harmer but, hopefully, if I work hard enough I can put in that many years."

Envisioning her first album, Sokyrka says she would like to include some of her favourites such as "Cruisin'," "Summertime," and of course, her own songs featuring her skills as a guitar player.

She also hopes to write songs reflecting other people's experiences, which, she confesses are easier to sing than some of the deeply personal songs she's written and performed in the past.

"Whenever I played a gig I would play these songs that were so close to me and it would almost hurt to play them. Well, that was back in the day when people didn't really listen," Sokyrka laughs.

With her tremendous exposure from Canadian Idol, Sokyrka may have more than just a roomful of pub patrons paying attention to her talents.

The singer has already had her first brush with controversy when web entrepreneur, Daniel J. Weixeldorfer, snapped up her name after Sokyrka won a local radio station's Saskatoon Idol contest back in April.

Her domain name is now for sale in Weixeldorfer's website -- Iwantmynameback.com -- just one among the names of other "future stars" bought by the company.

"You know I have nothing very good to say about people that are name sharks. It's my name. Why would you want my name?" she says.

But despite the new pressures the Idol runner-up must face, including losing her name in cyberspace, Sokyrka is the first to say that 2004 has been "the best year of my life."

"I felt like this year I've finally made a name for myself…I think that I've learned more in this year of my life than I ever have in my life," Sokyrka reflects.

"It's always about the big picture I find. As long as you can look at the big picture I think you can stay humble and you can stay kind."

Eye on Idol