I would like a menu with sub-menus.
1 – I would like to avoid accordions
2 – major categories don’t need to be click-able
3 – it seems like that once I create an article and assign it somehow to the menu system, that the menu system should be able to automatically include the article title&link into the proper place within the menu.

For the red menu items, go to “type” and choose “text separator”. This will ensure that they are non clickable.
As for the blue menu items, create them like you would do for any other menu item, but select the “parent” according to whichever menu item you want them to appear under.
I think this is what you’re looking for but if not, please explain in more detail as to what you require.
Regards