Maybe that's why I'm not making any sense, because I DON'T want the series information in my book titles. I have no problems populating the series columns in Calibre and I've had no problem getting them to appear in Calibre in order. What I want is for those series to appear on my kindle, sans series info in the title, to appear in chronological order.
I think that's what you've been trying to teach me how to do, but I am so baffled by the language and syntax of plugboards (I'm an English teacher, btw, who wants to be, but has no delusions of being, a tech guy).
I do appreciate all your help and patience. Perhaps it'd be best to simply suck it up and have the series info in the book titles.