answer:You sound pretty normal, actually. We are, after all, the fighting half of the species. It does sound like Ma has a lot on her plate, but that’s her thing, not yours. It would be nice of you to help where you can. If you know that something that you’re doing sets her off, you might take steps to change your behavior. I would recommend discipline regarding the knife thing – time and place are vitally important when your hobby could damage people and property. I enjoy mid-caliber target shooting, and the city would be very upset if I enjoyed it in my back yard. A friend of mine liked to throw knives, so he built a target and backstop out of scrap lumber and would use that to practice with. You might try the same. You might consider a new outlet for your energy. Given that you don’t get along with sports, I’m going to recommend that you track down some boffer LARPers in your school, or something similar – you’re not the only guy in the world who likes to play with swords, and using dummy swords (typically foam duct-taped over a PVC-pipe frame) lets you safely practice with other people. Or sign up for shop class. Your profile mentions tracheal issues. Does this rule out all high-energy activities, or just sustained ones?