Introducing the guest writer for this post - Anand Pandey - His story - his words - mom's blog

Anand has been very adventurous. He wanted to write about his day as his mom would write it.

So below post is written by him acting as mom :) please read and write some comments - he is waiting for everyone's reaction :)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"Next Stop: Hynes Convention Center. Anime lovers, this is the place for you. An Anime Convention here in Boston, Massachusetts. One of many popular pieces of art in Japan. If you grew up with the Pokémon series, you would remember seeing the TV series and the anime Pokémon movies." — some commuter rail, subway, ferry, or bus announcer

Next Stop? Where is Anand finding these quotes? Actually, that's been his thing growing up, quoting lines from movies that he watches or movie lines he and Mr. Husband have been watching. Mostly the Matrix movies, since they LOVE them so much. Anyway, what's the "next stop" Anand's been talking about? Something he calls "Open World Expansion Tour," and why would he come up with that? My past blogs about Anand's "solo adventures" back in 2025, which he wrote while pretending to be me. Anand's "first stop" in his "Open World Expansion Tour" was the South Arcade concert at the Middle East Restaurant in Cambridge back in October (check his and my side of the story if you missed them). His "second stop" was the Rhode Island Comic-Con at the Amica Mutual Pavilion and Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI (the story is on my blogpost also). Third stop? Anand's first Gala. I talked about how Anand has been stepping out of his comfort zone, but now he's "opening up his world," as he's been saying. While I was in India, Anand was researching Comic-Con events happening in 2026, ever since he enjoyed his first ever experience at Comic-Con in Providence, RI. Part of "opening up his world" included going to Comic-Con and trying new places he's never been to. One of them happened to be an Anime Convention. But what made Anand have a sudden interest in anime? I'll never know, since he will not tell me.

On November 29th, 2025, Anand got tickets to attend Fan Expo at the Thomas M. Menino Convention Center in Seaport, a Comic-Con happening in Boston. To keep him busy until August, Anand has two more conventions both happening in April, as well as an upcoming racing video game launching on May 15th, 2026 (Premium buyers would have four days of early access, which Anand went for; that blogpost will be up in May) and May 19th, 2026 (official launch date). On December 5th, 2025, Anand purchased tickets to go to Boston Anime-Con at the Hynes Convention Center off Boylston Street. Lastly, on January 5th, 2026, Anand got his anime costume he ordered on Amazon!

I wrote a blog post about wanting Anand to take the train into Boston, which he's been doing. But what surprised me even more was the fact that OpenSky had also planned to attend Boston Anime Con on Friday! Anand requested time off from work on Good Friday, wanting to attend Anime Con twice. I'll also never know why he decided that, since he'll never tell me. Now being public-transport-independent, Anand had planned out his adventure. I tried to convince Anand to take the train from Franklin to Back Bay on Friday, but he refused. Finally, in that argument, Anand purchased a train ticket to Back Bay.

The day of Boston Anime arrived and Anand was so excited. After he shaved and showered, Anand took the train from Franklin to Back Bay, went through the Prudential Center and Copley Place malls, arrived at the Hynes Convention Center and met up with OpenSky, then they went inside for Anime Con. Anand expected the food at the Hynes Convention Center to be expensive, but when I told him OpenSky would pay, Anand refused. After he told some staff that he was about to head home, Anand took the Green Line from Hynes Convention Center to Kenmore, ate at the Fenway Wahlburgers, saying hi to Cheryl, the wonderful manager who surprised him for his 25th birthday, went back on the Green Line to the Hynes Convention Center for Anime Con again, went to Back Bay, safely boarded a train to Franklin, then Dad picked Anand up.

On Saturday, Anand took the commuter rail again from Franklin, but this time to South Station, the Red Line to Downtown Crossing, and the Orange Line to Back Bay, then walked through the Copley Place and Prudential Center malls, arriving on Boylston Street and walking straight to the Hynes Convention Center. Anand knew what to expect on both days: people in cosplay or wearing anime costumes of their favorite characters, no matter where he was. Like yesterday Anand had his thought-out plan: after Anime Con, Anand would take the Green Line to Kenmore to eat at Wahlburgers yet again, then take the Green Line to Park Street and the Red Line to South Station and safely boarding a train to Franklin.

As always, Anand agreed to take pictures of Anime Con, but he also makes a poster of his Comic-Con adventures, which is what I saw him do this evening. Knowing I would tell him, "Write out your story," Anand just wrote it right away on December 6th, 2025. For him to airdrop the photos and wanting ME to write about his solo adventures is so unlike Anand, but then again, this might be happening more frequently.

This is, yet again, another amazing milestone for Anand. Biggest goal of 2026 is opening up his world, such as attending conventions in Massachusetts by himself, as well as an upcoming racing video game. That blogpost will be up in late May or early June. This man just can't wait for more this year. Next stop: Western Mass Comic-Con at the MGM Hotel in Springfield, Massachusetts. This time, Anand wanted me and Dad to explore Springfield, then meet up at a Wahlburgers close by, but I couldn't do it. More on that in the next story.