As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a second to reflect on 2009.

A lot happened this year in relation to my professional life — I started my career at Pyxl, signed up to Twitter, co-founded Social Media Club Knoxville, started this blog, and ingrained myself in the world of PR and social media. With everything, I’ve been so thankful to everyone who continues to read my blog day after day, interact with me online, and also to those that have inspired me to continue to work at making PRettySocial better.

And in the spirit of appreciation and reflection, I’ve decided that my final post of 2009 will be a list post — of my 9 most popular PRettySocial posts and of my 9 favorite fellow bloggers and tweeters. So before you head out to get ready to watch the ball drop, take a look at the best of PRettySocial and the top tweeps/bloggers I think you should be following…

First things first, here are my top 9 blog posts of the year (decided by a combination of views & comments, along with my own personal discretion):

1. Brand Yourself: 6 Tips for Building your Personal Brand – By far my most viewed post of the year. Pretty self explanatory : )

2. Is this not the cutest animal you’ve ever seen??! – A completely random and cute video post on the amazing Slow Loris which gave me a shout out on BoingBoing.

3. Dear Michael Vick: I Hate You – If you know me, you know there’s no one I hate in this world more than the pit bull murderer, Michael Vick. Apparently lots of people agree.

4. Venting via Twitter: Do it professionally! – This one actually got me some recognition and a mention in PRDaily…woohoo!

5. An awesome and innovative idea: Colorless soda cans – Pretty much my favorite idea of the year. Even if this doesn’t happen, I still give props to the person who came up with this one!

6. Dear YellowBook: Why?! – Perhaps my most controversial post of the year. Who would have thought?

7. Should Photoshopped ads be required to carry a disclaimer? – Is airbrushing causing young girls to consider eating disorders? Join the conversation.

8. Are we spreading ourselves too thin? – There are lots of social networks, but can we be on all of them without spreading ourselves too thin?

9. I’m sorry, but Gen Y is NOT lazy! – I hate the Gen Y stereotype, and this is where I debunk it!

But enough about me and my blog, now I’d like to feature some amazing bloggers and tweeps who I truly admire and who have helped me (and continue to help me) become a better blogger day after day. I truly appreciate everything these awesome people do!

1. Sasha Muradali – I’m pretty sure Sasha was one of the very first friends I made via Twitter. I’ve long admired Sasha’s Little Pink Book, and it’s often the first blog I read in the morning. LPB has a great mix of PR, social media, and all things girly (makeup, fashion, etc). Sasha’s not afraid to tell you her opinion (somewhat like myself), and that’s what keeps readers coming back for more!

2. David Teicher - David was another of the first friends I made when I entered the social space at the beginning of 2009. IMO, he’s one of the top people to follow if you’re interested in social media, PR, advertising, etc. and he also runs an awesome blog, Legends of Aerocles, on those same topics. Plus, he’s a pretty cool guy!

3. Mike Schaffer - Mike’s blog PRBuzz is one of my ultimate favorites! He always finds a unique way to integrate PR with pop culture topics like the Ninja Turtles and Hulk Hogan. Plus, he often adds his dog into the mix (and everyone knows how I love dogs). All around, Mike’s an awesome guy. AND he’s been offering me wedding tips which never hurts!

4. Matt Cheuvront - Matt is someone I recently became friends with, but his blog, Life Without Pants, is quickly becoming one of my very faves! He’s an awesome writer with a really cool outlook on life, and I really enjoy reading his blog day after day. (Stay tuned for a guest blog post from him on PRettySocial in 2010.)

5. Sarah Evans – Sarah was one of the first people I started following when I signed up to Twitter. (Hell, I even took her advice when choosing my own Twitter handle!) She’s the creator of #journchat and someone who really is revolutionizing the field of public relations. Plus, I recently met her IRL, and she’s so sweet! You can check out her blog here.

6. Lauren Fernandez - Lauren, aka “LAF”, is another person I’ve long admired. She’s always out for the good of the community, which is evident by her very awesome blog and daily tweets. She’s a PR pro who is very insightful and great at engaging others. LAF is an all-around cool chick!

7. Alexis Dias - Alexis isn’t actually a blogger yet…but she’s cool enough to still make my list. This PR pro loves bully breeds just as much as I do, and she’s my ally on all things anti-BSL. She’s always great to talk to and tweets some pretty great stuff, along with giving me occasional wedding tips.

8. The PRBreakfastClub Crew – So this one includes quite a few people but I had to group them all together because 1) they write their blog that way & 2) 9 just isn’t enough numbers to list all my favorites. But anyway, this group of flacks runs one of the best PR blogs around right now. It’s witty and insightful, and if you don’t read it already, you’re missing out! The people that write it are all pretty cool too!

9. The Pyxl Crew - I couldn’t make a list about those that have inspired me this year without mentioning my lovely co-workers. This crazy bunch is the true reason I LOVE my job, and I’m so grateful for them everyday! Plus, we’re pretty much the coolest/best marketing firm in Knoxville (sorry!) ; ) Oh yeah, we also have a blog — it’s called ReadPyxl.

So there you have it — my top 9 people/groups/blogs you should be following!

Thanks to everyone for an amazing year, and I’ll catch you all next decade.

Happy New Year!!!
<3 Nicole