can't open 2 programs at once

[Ron Patterson]

I start by going to my desktop Open Office icon and clicking and I get 
the usual 8 choices of programs.  If I have open either a new text 
document I can not click on the icon and open a new spreadsheet.  And 
vice versa.

Clicking on the AOO icon while one program is open makes the icon 
inoperable to select and open any other new program.

How can I have open a spreadsheet and then open a new text document 
program at the same time?  Or vice versa?