Desktop frozen (not the folder, just the actual desktop)

[KYLawyer]

Weirdest thing. Maybe it's even just a setting...though I can't find it if so. The actual desktop is frozen. No new icons, no clicking, no moving, etc. But the computer (programs and finder) work fine. So if I want to access something sitting on the desktop for example, I have to open a finder window, go to the user, go to the desktop folder, etc.

Actually, it's not exactly frozen: if I drag over things the little shaded rectangle grows, but nothing it touches gets selected.

Any ideas? I've restarted, checked permissions, all that.

Thanks!