Under Windows XP, if you use a particular program very often and ALWAYS want it to appear on the top of your start menu even if Windows doesn't include it in the list of commonly used programs, you can use the "Pin To" feature to put it there. A shortcut which is "pinned" in the menu will appear at the very top, left side of the start menu. To put a program there, find it in the Start menu, then right-click on it and choose "Pin to Start Menu".
This provides quick access all the time to this program.