Subtle Houseplant

While I was away for Christmas, I locked up my apartment and let my houseplants roam free. Wouldn't you know it - they chewed on my sneakers and ripped up the throw pillows. Jerks. One of them, though, is now mostly dead, and I accidentally discovered today that I'd been slowly drowning one of my orchids. Oops. I suppose that explains why it isn't blooming any more, but it really doesn't explain why it's still alive. I don't understand plants at all. Could someone please pass me some googly eyes?