Since news broke earlier this week that [article id="1617611"]Paula Abdul would not be returning to "American Idol"[/article] as one of the show's judges, many people have been wondering what [article id="1617674"]the next step[/article] is for the singer/choreographer who sat beside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson for eight seasons.

"At this point, there are so many wonderful things that are being offered to me," Abdul said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And I got to take a deep breath, sleep a little ... and go through everything."

On Thursday, Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice said the network had [article id="1617803"]"no expectations that Abdul[/article] would reconsider her "Idol" contract. Although she wouldn't discuss the specifics of her departure from the show in the AP interview, she did say that she wouldn't rule out [article id="1617722"]joining "So You Think You Can Dance"[/article] in some capacity, after the show's executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe, publicly put the offer on the table.

"I am not going to rule that out," she said. "I'm a dancer, a choreographer. Dance is a love of mine. But I have yet to sit down and discuss anything with anyone. It's all happening within the next couple of weeks."

(Look back at a [article id="1617638"]timeline of Paula Abdul's career thus far[/article].)

Abdul said that since she announced her departure, the response she has been getting from [article id="1617660"]fans[/article] and friends has been "insane."

"It's been a lovely experience, and the thing that is the most charming and the most heartfelt that makes my heart swell is the outpouring of love that people showed towards me," she said. "And it's overwhelming and it's beautiful."

And despite having quit her "Idol" gig just as auditions get under way for season nine, Abdul is still keeping busy. In fact, she was shooting a guest appearance for the Lifetime show "Drop Dead Diva" when the AP caught up with her.

In the episode, Abdul will play a court judge who gives the main character, a plus-size lawyer, encouragement. "I'm good at that," Abdul said. "I think I've been good at that since I was a little girl. Just rooting people on and trying to get people to remember to believe in themselves. ... I hope [it could be a recurring role]! You know, this is exactly what life's about, working with people you absolutely love working with.

"And I got to tell you, I'm never going to change who I am at the core," she continued.

"I'm a hard worker, I love working hard and nothing gives me more joy than to be on a project and working with people who are trying to achieve the same goal. And that's where I'm at right now."

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