Shave the sides? I pretty much just shave my neck/under my chin. I guess I do clean up my cheeks occasionally. If it looks like parts are missing, it's because I can't grow those parts so well

This is unfortunately unmanly, but also fortunate in that it's not overwhelming and I don't need to clean it up too much.
Mike's beard actually looks a bit more even than mine, though I do have the redness hair thing going in there.
Having a beard is good for the lazy... Having to only shave my neck in the morning is nice

A word of advice, cut/shave the hairs that come down over your top lip and get stuck in there Mike... while it makes kind of a weird shelf, it looks better than hairs stuck in your mouth.