Reader stuck between pal and worker

Communication remains a high priority. You might not be sure what to do in a confusing situation. Trust your inner voice. Be ready to act spontaneously.

Be aware of what is going on with plans and the costs involved. You might want to make a sudden change without giving an explanation. Your creativity soars.

You’ll smile from ear to ear, despite an overly aggressive partner or associate. Touch base with a boss who finds you to be.very idealistic.

You know that something is going on behind the scenes. Curb a tendency to run around until you are exhausted. Share your ideas with a key associate.

Zero in on priorities before you get too distracted. Friends surround you as you attempt to arrange a meeting. Know when you need to close a door. This year you often might not be sure about your feelings. Try to clarify what you believe is triggering you. A haze of mystery tends to surround situations. Get past the haze, and you will know where you stand. If you are single, you have an upbeat personality that attracts people from all walks of life. Use care in your choices, and be clear with others if you just want a friendship. If you are attached, the two of you might consider incorporating more friendship into your emotional bond. CANCER knows how to use his or her emotions to move others.

What the stars Mean Dynamic Positive Average So-so Difficult

Tension surrounds you because of what you want and what someone else expects. You might feel as if you are hitting a wall. Be authentic, but know when to defer to a boss or parent.

Reach out for more of what you want. The creative side of your personality seems to attract many admirers. Use your instincts with a mysterious person you might be interested in. Avoid taking a risk.

One-on-one relating helps you see where others are coming from. With more intimate knowledge of a key person in your life, you will be able to convince him or her to join you for a spontaneous happening.

You might be receiving mixed messages, no matter how many times you have attempted to clarify information. Your responses could be a little withdrawn.

Pace yourself, as you have a lot of ground to cover. Be ready to make a fast decision. Stay grounded in a difficult situation, if possible. Detach to see the big picture.

Use your imagination when dealing with someone you see often. When you start sharing, you will gain insight. A partnership might need more conversation.

Pressure builds around a domestic issue. You might need to be very clear. Attempt to be more tuned in. Be attentive to a family member who needs time with you. Jacqueline Bigar is at www.jacquelinebigar.com. Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

I referred a former employee of mine to do a special project for a friend — shooting her wedding photos — because I thought he would do a good job for the low budget that she had to offer. They met and hit it off, and everything seemed to be going OK, but now things have gone south.

My employee completed that job, but the pictures have yet to be delivered — many months later. My friend has contacted me multiple times, distraught because she can’t seem to get her pictures. I have spoken to him several times, but due to a series of strange circumstances, so far he has not delivered. My reputation is on the line, and I haven’t a clue what to do.

— SOS, Bowie, Maryland

This is a mess, but it’s not your problem. Because you referred the photographer, it is kind and appropriate for you to speak to him sternly about honoring his commitment. You can point out that your reputation hangs in the balance because he has shrugged off his duties. But since he isn’t responsive, guilting him will go only so far. Do your best to find out what is going on.

You can let your friend know whatever you have learned. Then, ultimately, if he still does not come through, you may want to recommend that your friend sue him. In the future, if a job seems too small to give to a professional, say as much. Most importantly, don’t get entangled in getting somebody cheap to fill the position.

It has been oppressively hot this summer, and I am having a hard time managing the weather. I live in a five-story walk-up, and I have no air conditioning. I invited friends to come over, but I called to suggest that we get together at another time because it was just too hot. One of my friends got really mad at me and suggested that I was being a bad host. I was sitting in my apartment in my underwear, sweating like crazy when I got her note. I wanted to scream. What should I say to her? — Hot Bad Host, Brooklyn,

New York

You can leave it alone entirely and let your friend dream up reasons to be mad. If you must, you can apologize once more for inconveniencing your friends and jokingly suggest that if they still want to come to a party at your house during the heat wave, the dress code is undies only!