Greg - The barrel of the release is as short as it'll go. I just have short fingers, I guess.

If I try to "relax" my fingers more like you're suggesting, that would require me to use the muscles in my hands to move them. Where they are in the picture is how they naturally relax when I'm at full draw.

Aero - I was in a car accident about a month ago and it messed up my lower back. I generally draw straight towards me, but this was the first time my doctor had told me it was alright to go out and shoot. He actually called me up and told me he was "prescribing" archery as another form of my physical therapy. It helps to have a doctor who is an archer. Anyhow, as soon as I build that muscle back up I'll be able to draw correctly again. You're right though, I should start drawing from the ground up anyhow, to prevent any accidents if the arrow somehow gets loose at the draw.