Nope, you're not useless, they're just frustrated. You're a good guy and sometimes people, even parents, don't handle themselves well. They're sublimating their dissappointments onto you, learn to read the signs and not take them personally. I do that too, though not in the same way, and its very tough to know when to step back from situations with people you care about and care for. They're tired is all, and as long as they don't do anything worse to you, I'd just remember your own sentiments come first. I know you've been dating for three years (or something, forgive me if I'm mistaken) so clearly someone doesn't think you're useless. To me that also means you're off to college pretty soon. Things change then, and you need to build a sense of strnegth that doesn't come from external factors because otherwise college will kill you. As long as you don't think you're useless, than you're not. I know its hard to listen to comments of a similar vien for too long before you start thinking them about yourself. I've had experiences like that as well, and ended up treating myself pretty disrespectfully in some ways. But you need to try and seperate the two. Now would be an excellent time to do a little writing, which I know you've mentioned you've done, and remind yourself of the talents and skills you have which you can build upon and have potential. Don't waste your time thinking your worth is in fixing a chair unless you plan on going into the carpentry or the furniture business.