Question
I recently obtained an orchid. it is real pretty.
I have a question about its roots and colors.

first, I assume those thick "appendages" coming up out of the pot are its roots.

Some of them are starting to turn black/brown and shrivel. Should I trim these with scissors or leave them be?

Secondly.. my orchid was bright purple but now its colors are turning dull. does this mean it is dying? :( is there something I should do?

Answer
Yes, Desi, those "appendages" are roots.  They shrivel because the atmosphere outside of the pot is less humid.  When you repot your plant, following flowering, you can try to work some of these roots back into the potting mix.  remember, in nature, these orchids frequently grow with their roots exposed to the air.  This is fine when the humidity is nearly 100 percent as in the tropics, but not so with pot culture.

As the flowers come to the end of their natural life, they fade and shrivel up.  Usually, with good health, the plant will live on to bloom another day.  If the flower spike remains green after losing its flowers, cut it off just above the second or third joint in the green flower spike.  If the flower spike remains green after flowering, it may send out a new flower spike at the joint just below your cut.

Orchids are very unique in the plant world. They need a lot of air movement in the root zone and good drainage to dry out between watering.  If the potting mix remains too wet, the roots will rot (ie become mushy or striny).  After each flowering, the plant should be unpotted and these dead roots cut off (healthy roots are firm).  Repot into a special orchid potting mix after the mix has been soaked for an hour and let it drain well before placing it in its growing area. Orchid plants may flower year after year if kept healthy through these annual repottings and grown with adequeate light.