It’s normal to cry while cutting onions. To reduce this, just pop the onions in the freezer for 10–15 minutes beforehand. Take them out, let them thaw a bit, and then chop. The sting will be much less. Another way is to soak them in lukewarm water for a while before cutting.
This reduces the effect of the chemical released by the onion. Cutting soft cheese with a knife can be tricky, and the slices won’t be even. For this, use dental floss to cut the cheese easily. Also, if the cheese is too soft to grate, keep it in the freezer for a short while. It will harden up, making it easy to grate.