Rejected!

Fantasy & Science Fiction mailed back my manuscript yesterday, undamaged, unmarked, and unaccepted. They sent a slip from the Associate Editor who said that he passed on my story, because it didn't catch his interest. It didn't look like a form letter - it was printed, but they mentioned the actual title of my story. But maybe they just do that with all lousy stories.
My mother is so proud. "You've received your first rejection slip! You're a professional writer now!" She's also adviced me to keep a file of all my rejections, and I think it's a good idea. It'll be hilarious to flaunt them when I actually get published and establish some "writer's cred".
The good news is, I've already found two potential magazines to send "My Brother's Own Words" to instead, and I'm saving on paper because F&SF sent it back in pristine condition. Also, I'm already working on a new short story, tentatively titled "Career Day". "The Screaming Chicken Wing" is on hiatus, I ran out of steam on that one, and I figured it'd be better to actually write something (even something new) then spend hours looking a screen and having nothing come out.