Series

Oh, I get a headache just thinking about books in a series. Have authors forgotten how to write nice, stand alone books?? Seriously, if a series can't be as great and awesome as Wheel of Time or Lord of the Rings, then why bother? It has gotten to the point where I read a book, really like it, look forward to another book by the same author, then realize the next book is the second in the series. IF (and this is a big IF) I can remember what the last book was even about, then I might buy it. Come on authors - get a new idea. Quit using the same one over and over and over and over and over.