Kernal_task real memory high (493.4 MB)

Question

I'm having trouble trying to figure out why my kernal_task's real memory is so high (it fluctuates up and down around 493.4 MB). I booted my MBP in safe mode and checked my activity monitor and it was running about 201 MBs. Right now as I am typing this I have no external devices hooked into my computer except an external monitor but i'm pretty sure thats not the problem. My computer gets real hot, real quick and I don't know how to bring the kernal task's real memory back down to or below 200 MBs. CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE! It would be much appreciated thank you.

Answer 1

So here is a complete list of what is going on in my computer in Activity Manager (left out all the other columns for easy readability, if I need to add any back in for any help let me know):
0     kernel_task   
1     launchd   
71     WindowServer   
129     activitymonitord   
28     hidd   
25     loginwindow   
23     mds   
37     configd   
14     ntpd   
20     securityd   
29     fseventsd   
127     applepushserviced   
48     coreservicesd   
45     distnoted   
44     qmasterd   
41     autofsd   
40     blued   
35     DirectoryService   
34     diskarbitrationd   
31     dynamic_pager   
26     KernelEventAgent   
88     launchd   
135     Firefox   
146     Firefox Plugin Process   
123     Activity Monitor   
93     SystemUIServer   
92     Dock   
94     Finder   
126     TISwitcher   
125     CCacheServer   
118     imagent   
116     AirPort Base Station Agent   
109     UserEventAgent   
101     fontd   
96     pboard   
149     cvmsComp_i386   
128     cvmsComp_x86_64   
24     mDNSResponder   
85     coreaudiod   
17     usbmuxd   
142     mdworker32   
141     mdworker   
140     mdworker   
76     launchd   
78     cvmsComp_x86_64   
12     syslogd   
75     cvmsServ   
11     notifyd   
10     kextd   
150     kextcache   
130     ocspd   
This is also continuously popping up in my console and has been for awhile now. Everytime the computer boots up it shows in the console approx. 20 times in a row.
    com.apple.launchd[1]    (com.apple.SystemStarter) Failed to count the number of files in "/System/Library/StartupItems": No such file or directory
Any more help will do. Thanks peeps!