So I'm rendering a picture that's taking a rediculous amount of time and which has frozen several times as well, and I was wondering if there is a way to use multiple computers to do the rendering (as with renderbull) but without actually owning the computers.  I mean, are there companies that will perform this for a fee?  Can I send them the picture and have them render it for me?

Any suggestions?

Yep - Ranchcomputing.  http://www.ranchcomputing.com/  I've used them - great service.

LVS - Where Learning is Fun!  
http://www.lvsonline.com/index.html

Thanks so much!  Could you explain a little how it works for me? 

It looks awesome but it looks really expensive....

You can also use a network of computer at home, if you have more than one machine available, usning the Hypervue network manager and rendercows.

It's the age old problem of wanting something fast and cheep.  Expensive depends on how big the picture/animation needs to be.  What would take me days to render on one computer can be done in less than an hour at the ranch.  So depending on how much I need the picture and if I can live without my computer for those days, the money is well spent! 

LVS - Where Learning is Fun!  
http://www.lvsonline.com/index.html

Thanks again Peggy for your help....normally I wouldn't think about farming out my rendering but I was afraid I'd never finish my picture for the upcoming e-on contest.  I actually started to reconstruct it and I think it'll be fine....something was causing it to freeze before but now it's rendering normal again....