Way back in 1998 and 1999, one of my great ideas on how to make SyFy World (the forerunner to today's Airlock Alpha) was by putting together what I felt was going to be a groundbreaking convention in the Tampa Bay area that would be unlike any other convention. There would be fascinating, thought-provoking panels. There would be direct access between convention-goers and celebrities. There would be television writers, producers and others given the same billing as some of the famous faces we see on the science-fiction screen.

It was going to be called SyFyCon, and I had planned it for 2000, although I do have to admit I was very tempted to call it Cooooooooooon!

But for a number of reasons, including the amount of money it would take to put it on, killed the idea before it ever really got off the ground. It was more than money, however. If I really wanted to get one put together, I'm sure I could've rounded up some investors or something. What really killed it for me was the fact that I have a real phobia, believe it or not. I joke about it from time to time, even on SyFy Radio, but it is a real issue for me.

I have a fear of large crowds.

I am being a bit dramatic. It's not really a fear more than it being something that makes me uncomfortable. I mean, I am in crowds a lot ... I just don't like them. I get woozy and almost a little panicky ... does that count as fear?

That's a big reason why I turn down so many invitations every year to attend conventions. It's not that I don't want to go, promote Airlock Alpha, and give people a chance to meet me. It's just that I don't like dealing with crowds and such.

But I do try my best to get past that obstacle. Between 2001 and 2006, I attended a great little convention in Tampa called Necronomicon, which I liked because it had about 1,200 people at the time, and to me, that was pretty manageable. In recent years, including this weekend, I attend Oasis in Orlando. I remember someone telling me about Oasis when they found out I was going last year, and they're like trying to defend it and making sure I wouldn't be upset because it's a smaller convention. I smiled ... I would never be upset about that. In fact, it made me ecstatic.

The convention might be a little bigger this year because they have a couple of great names attending like "Star Trek" writer David Gerrold and novelist John Scalzi, who lives in Bradford, Ohio, less than 400 miles from my hometown in Northcentral Pennsylvania.

But I'm still excited about it, and will be leaving for Orlando in just a few hours for my first panel tonight at 8. And at the same time, I am working real hard to address my phobia of crowds.

I'm really going to put it to the test in July when I go to San Diego Comic-Con for the very first time. I had the opportunity to go for the past three years, especially as it became the convention where the most television and movie news would come out of every year. But this whole crowd thing really made sure I didn't go.

I mean, it's one thing to attend a convention with 1,000 people. But 125,000 people? That's just crazy!

But I'm going to be crazy this year, and try to focus on my job, which is breaking news while I'm there. Unlike many other reporters, I have an uncanny ability to file stories real fast. Not just short blog entries, but detailed stories in a short period of time. In fact, I'm writing this column over a 10-minute window I have between 30 other things I'm trying to get done this morning.

Of course, the trick will be getting into the panels I need to get into. From what I understand, even if you have a press credential, you're not guaranteed access to any panel. So I hope they at least have cameras and TV monitors or something.

But I am trying to overcome this phobia for all of you. Ok, not really ... I just hate having phobias. I also had a fear of heights so strong that I didn't fly in an airplane until I was 21. Which was funny because I would go on rollercoasters that were 300 feet high, but I wouldn't get into an airplane.

I finally got over that phobia, so much that I try to fly as much as I can. So I think I can get through this phobia as well.

But if you see me at Oasis or at Comic-Con, and I seem a little lost ... come over and start talking to me. Or buy me a beer. Lots and lots of beer.

SyFy Radio

We had a great show with "Trouble With Tribbles" writer David Gerrold. He is a fascinating person, and is not afraid to share anything. Listen to the show in its entirety right now!

Also, we announced that in July, we'll have a very special guest on SyFy Radio: "Star Trek's" very own George Takei will be on with me, and it will be one you won't want to miss.

We're doing a special SyFy Radio Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT live from Oasis 21 in Orlando (that's tomorrow night). And we'll have the mirror universe version of me as a guest on May 28 before we welcome Kenneth Johnson from "Alien Nation" and "V" fame on June 4.

You can listen to SyFy Radio either on BlogTalk Radio at BlogTalkRadio.com/SyFyRadio or subscribing to us for free at iTunes. Simply go to the iTunes store, type in "SyFy" in the search window, and we'll be the only thing that pops up. Write a review when you get a chance, too!

SyFy Radio airs live every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

SyBits

I answer select letters on the air on SyFy Radio, so write those letters to me, and then listen to SyFy Radio every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT (just click the link above), and see if I share your letter on the air!

Send your letters to mhinman@airlockalpha.com, and maybe you'll eventually read them right here in this very spot, complete with my arcane responses.

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Don't forget to listen to me host SyFy Radio, every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (and available to download for free at your leisure after the fact) by visiting www.blogtalkradio.com/syfyradio. You also can subscribe to us for free at the iTunes Store. Simply log in to iTunes, type in "syfy" in the search engine, and ou'll be connected directly to the show's archive.

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Have a great week, and don't be a stranger!

Michael Hinman, a cult leader twice awarded "Best Kool-Aid Drinker," is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha, writing out of Tampa, Fla. He can be reached at mhinman@airlockalpha.com